title: Identifying persons at risk for developing type 2 diabetes in a concentrated population of high risk ethnicities in Canada using a risk assessment questionnaire and point-of-care capillary blood HbA1c measurement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Amidst the growing health care burden created by diabetes, this study aimed to assess the utility of a prediabetes/type 2 diabetes risk questionnaire in high risk ethnic communities in Toronto Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (n = 691) provided questionnaire responses and capillary blood tests collected via fingerstick and results were analysed for HbA1c using the Bio-Rad in2it point-of-care device. The Bland-Altman method was used to compare point-of-care HbA1c analysis (Bio-Rad, boronate affinity chromatography) to that using high performance liquid chromatography. ANOVA and linear regression were performed to investigate the relationship between questionnaire and blood data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (± SD) HbA1c was 5.99% ± 0.84 and the Bland-Altman analysis revealed no significant biases HbA1c (bias = 0.039, 95% limits of agreement = -1.14 to 1.22). ANOVA showed that with increasing risk classification based on questionnaire answers (with the exception of "moderate"-to-"high"), there was a significant increase in mean HbA1c (Welch Statistic 30.449, p < 0.001). Linear regression revealed that the number of high risk parents, age category, BMI, physical activity participation and previous diagnosis of high blood sugar were significant contributors (p < 0.05) to the variance in HbA1c.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Though not a substitute for established diagnostic protocols, the use of a risk questionnaire can be an accurate, low cost, educational and time efficient method for assessment of type 2 diabetes risk. The early detection of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes is vital to increased awareness and opportunity for intervention with the goal of preventing or delaying the progression of type 2 diabetes and the known associated complications.
authors.affiliation: 358 Norman Bethune College, York University, 4700 Keele St,, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada. rowanc@yorku.ca.
authors.forename: Chip P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Rowan
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Miadovnik
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Riddell
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rotondi
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gledhill
authors.forename: Veronica K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Jamnik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002170:Canada; D002196:Capillaries / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D005006:Ethnicity; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin