Trends in the management of risk of diabetes complications in different ethnic groups in New Zealand primary care.
OBJECTIVE
To assess changes over two years in the health status and management of a cohort of people with Type 2 diabetes from different ethnic groups within a primary care diabetes annual review programme in New Zealand.


METHODS
The study evaluated changes in clinical measures and proportions achieving guideline targets for 7782 people who had data recorded at baseline in 2002-2003 and at follow-up two years later within the diabetes programme.


RESULTS
A large proportion of Maori (47%) and Pacific (69%) patients had poor glycaemic control at baseline and only small improvements were made over the two years. Significant improvements were made in all the ethnic groups in blood pressure and lipid management at two-year follow-up. By the two-year follow-up, over 75% of Maori and Pacific patients received appropriate treatment with anti-hypertensive and lipid lowering medication and many of the ethnic disparities in risk factors for complications were reduced.


CONCLUSIONS
Participation in the annual review programme may have contributed to improvements in clinical management and reduced disparities in a cohort with Type 2 diabetes. However, the removal of restrictions on statin use in 2002, and introduction of diabetes management guidelines in 2003 may also have improved management standards.
Agban
Hosnah
H
School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Elley
C Raina
CR
Kenealy
Tim
T
Robinson
Elizabeth
E
D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044466:Asian People; D001794:Blood Pressure; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology; D013997:Time Factors; D044465:White People
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human