| Title | Mechanisms for racial and ethnic disparities in glycemic control in middle-aged and older Americans in the health and retirement study. |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2007 |
| Authors | Heisler, MM, Faul, J, Hayward, RA, Langa, KM, Blaum, CS, Weir, DR |
| Journal | Arch Intern Med |
| Volume | 167 |
| Issue | 17 |
| Pagination | 1853-60 |
| Date Published | 2007 Sep 24 |
| ISSN Number | 0003-9926 |
| Call Number | newpubs20071203_HeislerFaul.pdf |
| Keywords | Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Black People, Diabetes Mellitus, Female, Glycated Hemoglobin, Health Services Accessibility, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Compliance, Socioeconomic factors, Treatment Refusal, United States, White People |
| Abstract | BACKGROUND: Mechanisms for racial/ethnic disparities in glycemic control are poorly understood. METHODS: A nationally representative sample of 1901 respondents 55 years or older with diabetes mellitus completed a mailed survey in 2003; 1233 respondents completed valid at-home hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) kits. We constructed multivariate regression models with survey weights to examine racial/ethnic differences in HbA(1c) control and to explore the association of HbA(1c) level with sociodemographic and clinical factors, access to and quality of diabetes health care, and self-management behaviors and attitudes. RESULTS: There were no significant racial/ethnic differences in HbA(1c) levels in respondents not taking antihyperglycemic medications. In 1034 respondents taking medications, the mean HbA(1c) value (expressed as percentage of total hemoglobin) was 8.07% in black respondents and 8.14% in Latino respondents compared with 7.22% in white respondents (P < .001). Black respondents had worse medication adherence than white respondents, and Latino respondents had more diabetes-specific emotional distress (P < .001). Adjusting for hypothesized mechanisms accounted for 14.0% of the higher HbA(1c) levels in black respondents and 19.0% in Latinos, with the full model explaining 22.0% of the variance. Besides black and Latino ethnicity, only insulin use (P < .001), age younger than 65 years (P = .007), longer diabetes duration (P = .004), and lower self-reported medication adherence (P = .04) were independently associated with higher HbA(1c) levels. CONCLUSIONS: Latino and African American respondents had worse glycemic control than white respondents. Socioeconomic, clinical, health care, and self-management measures explained approximately a fifth of the HbA(1c) differences. One potentially modifiable factor for which there were racial disparities--medication adherence--was among the most significant independent predictors of glycemic control. |
| DOI | 10.1001/archinte.167.17.1853 |
| User Guide Notes | |
| Endnote Keywords | Racial Differences/Diabetes Mellitus |
| Endnote ID | 18300 |
| Alternate Journal | Arch Intern Med |
| Citation Key | 7168 |
| PubMed ID | 17893306 |
| Grant List | U01 AG009740 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States K08 AG19180 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States P60DK-20572 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States U01AG09740 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States |
