Prevalence and Care of Diabetes Mellitus in the Medicare Population of North Carolina

Mark W. Massing, Nancy Henley, David Biggs, Anna Schenck, Ross J. Simpson
2003 North Carolina Medical Journal  
Objective: To describe diabetes and its care in the Medicare population of North Carolina. Study Design: Cross-sectional Data Source/Study Setting: Medicare claims for North Carolina residents 18 to 75 years of age were reviewed to characterize diabetes prevalence during the late 1990s and to evaluate adherence to diabetes clinical practice recommendations. Principal Findings: Almost 84,000 persons with diabetes and Medicare were identified. Diabetes prevalence was 15.0% overall, 22.9% among
more » ... ican Americans, and 12.9% among Caucasians. A "diabetes belt" of relatively high prevalence was noted in the eastern coastal plain. Glycated hemoglobin testing, lipid testing, and retinopathy screening were performed at about half the recommended rate. Diabetes care rates were lower for African Americans than for Caucasians. Conclusions: Diabetes is a common and under-treated condition in the Medicare population of North Carolina, especially among African Americans. Relevance: There is much room for improvement in diabetes care within one of North Carolina's most vulnerable populations, the disabled and elderly enrolled in Medicare. Substantial public health opportunities exist in the identification and removal of barriers to diabetes care. * Odds ratios from logistic regression analyses (n=82,528) for receiving each diabetes care indicator relative to the referent groups (i.e., men, Caucasian, and age 65 to 70 years). † Annual urinalysis or microalbumin test among individuals without diagnosed nephropathy during the two-year measurement period (n=69,861).
doi:10.18043/ncm.64.2.51 fatcat:uzmviwgfhzb3hh5oqeydhrdlxi