Noncompliance with vision care guidelines in Latinos with type 2 diabetes mellitus: the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of and personal factors associated with noncompliance with American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines for vision care in a population-based sample of adult Latinos with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).


METHODS
Population-based cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Eight hundred twenty-one Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES) participants with a history of T2DM and a history of treatment for T2DM.


METHODS
Detailed interviews, physical examinations, and dilated eye examinations were performed on all participants. Interviews assessed sociodemographic factors, history of diabetes and eye disease, and utilization of health and eye care services. All participants with a self-reported history and treatment of diabetes were asked about health and vision care utilization and diabetes self-care.


METHODS
Compliance with ADA guidelines for vision care. Noncompliance was defined as having had no dilated eye examination in the previous 12 months. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify personal factors associated with noncompliance.


RESULTS
Of 821 individuals who self-reported having T2DM and being on treatment for T2DM, 535 (65%) had not complied with ADA vision guidelines for persons with T2DM. When compared with those with T2DM who complied with ADA guidelines, noncompliers were more likely to be less educated (odds ratio [OR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-2.2), to lack health insurance (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.7-3.7), to have had no routine physical examination in the 12 months before the LALES examination (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.3-2.5), and to have a glycosylated hemoglobin level > or = 9.0% (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.6).


CONCLUSIONS
Because timely and appropriate vision care can delay the onset of ocular morbidity, visual impairment, and blindness associated with diabetic retinopathy, our data suggest the need to evaluate intervention programs aimed at a targeted group of Latinos with T2DM--those who have less than a high school education, lack health insurance, have had no routine physical examination in the previous year, and have poorly controlled T2DM.
Paz
Sylvia H
SH
Doheny Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033-9224, USA.
Varma
Rohit
R
Klein
Ronald
R
Wu
Joanne
J
Azen
Stanley P
SP
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004522:Educational Status; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010808:Physical Examination; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin