Quality of diabetes care: a cross-sectional study of adults of Hispanic origin across and along the United States-Mexico border.
OBJECTIVE
To assess and monitor the quality of care provided to Hispanics diagnosed with diabetes living in the border region between the United States of America and Mexico.


METHODS
From April 2001 to November 2002, Phase I of the U.S.-Mexico Border Diabetes Prevention and Control Project, a prevalence study of type 2 diabetes and its risk factors, was conducted along the U.S.-Mexico border using two-stage cluster sampling of towns and households within towns. A questionnaire was administered on diabetes (self-reported) and lifestyle and a physical examination and blood sample were obtained. Of the 4 027 study participants, 521 (13.0%) reported receiving a pre-study diagnosis of diabetes. Of those, 466 were of Hispanic origin (226 on the Mexican side of the border and 240 on the U.S. side).


RESULTS
Results indicated 42.1% of Hispanics on the U.S. side of the border (95% confidence interval [CI] 35.8%-48.6%) and 37.6% of Hispanics on the Mexican side (95% CI 31.3%-44.3%) had controlled diabetes (defined as glycosylated hemoglobin A1c < 7.0 %), and only one (on the Mexican side of the border) received optimal diabetes care, defined according to international criteria for systolic blood pressure and body mass index as well as health provider provision of yearly examinations of foot and eyes as preventive care measures for early detection of diabetes complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Adult Hispanics diagnosed with diabetes and living on the U.S.-Mexico border region are not receiving adequate diabetes-related care, and health care professionals are not following international recommendations for providing that care. To improve diabetes control in the region, health care providers must become more aware of the effect of education and culture on diabetes self-care as well as the provision of preventative measures by health care professionals.
Díaz-Apodaca
Beatriz A
BA
Biomedical Sciences Institute, Department of Research and Graduate Studies, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. bdiaz@uacj.mx
de Cosío
Federico G
FG
Canela-Soler
Jaume
J
Ruiz-Holguín
Rosalba
R
Cerqueira
Maria Teresa
MT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006184:Habits; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D017584:Reproductive History; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015206:Southwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin