Comparison of diabetes control among Haitians, African Americans, and non-Hispanic whites in an urban safety-net hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To compare diabetes care and outcomes among Haitians, African Americans, and non-Hispanic whites.


METHODS
We analyzed data from 715 Haitian, 1,472 African American, and 466 non-Hispanic white adults with diabetes using χ² testing and multiple logistic regression.


RESULTS
Haitians had a higher mean A1C than African Americans (8.2 ± 1.9 vs. 7.7 ± 2.0%) and non-Hispanic whites (7.5 ± 1.7%) (both P < 0.0001). There was no difference in completion of process measures. Haitians were more likely than non-Hispanic whites to have elevated LDL cholesterol or blood pressure. Macrovascular complications were fewer among Haitians than African Americans (adjusted odds ratio 0.35 [95% CI 0.23-0.55]), as were microvascular complications (0.56 [0.41-0.76]). Haitians also had fewer macrovascular (0.32 [0.20-0.50]) and microvascular (0.55 [0.39-0.79]) complications than non-Hispanic whites.


CONCLUSIONS
Haitians have worse glycemic control than African Americans or non-Hispanic whites. Future research and interventions to improve diabetes care should target Haitians as a distinct racial/ethnic group.
Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. varsha.vimalananda@bmc.org
Varsha G
VG
Vimalananda
James L
JL
Rosenzweig
Howard J
HJ
Cabral
Michele M
MM
David
Karen E
KE
Lasser
D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006205:Haiti; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044465:White People
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin