title: Factors associated with poor glycemic control in older Mexican American diabetics aged 75 years and older.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the prevalence and correlates of poor glycemic control in Mexican Americans aged 75 years and older with diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data are from the 5(th) wave (2004-05) of the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly (H-EPESE). A total of 2,069 Mexican Americans aged 75 and over were interviewed. Six hundred eighty nine subjects (33.5%) reported having been diagnosed with diabetes and 209 (30.3%) subjects agreed to a blood test of their HbA(1)c level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 209 diabetic subjects with an HbA(1)c test, 73 (34.9%) had good glycemic control (HbA(1)c <7%) and 136 (65.1%) had poor glycemic control (HbA(1)c >7%). Bivariate analysis revealed that subjects with poor control had longer disease duration, had lower education, used the glucometer more frequently, and had more diabetes-complications when compared to those in the good glycemic control group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis found the following factors associated with poor glycemic control: <8 years of education, foreign-born, smoking, obesity, longer disease duration, daily glucometer use, and having macro-complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of poor glycemic control is very high in this population with very high and rising prevalence of diabetes. Further studies are needed to explore the effect of these and other characteristics on glycemic control among older Mexican Americans and to develop appropriate interventions to improve diabetes outcomes and increase life-expectancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. otiniano@uthscsa.edu
authors.forename: Max E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Otiniano
authors.forename: Soham
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Snih
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Goodwin
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Majd
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: AlGhatrif
authors.forename: Kyriakos S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Markides
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D044882:Glucose Metabolism Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose