This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Most Hispanic women unaware of their diabetes risk
In an analysis of women with elevated fasting plasma glucose, researchers found that nearly 5.5 million Hispanic women in the United States may have diabetes or prediabetes, and Hispanic women were less likely than non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black women to have seen a health care provider within the past year, according to an analysis published by researchers at New York University.
“Unfortunately, adults with undiagnosed prediabetes and diabetes are denied the opportunity to receive support and treatment to avert the onset and progression of serious diabetes-related complications,” Shiela M. Strauss, PhD, associate professor, New York University College of Nursing, said in a press release. “As public health care providers, we must make the creation of targeted programs to encourage Latinas to get screened for diabetes a priority.”
Shiela M. Strauss
Researchers examined data on 1,467 women from the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and found that 36.7% of Hispanic women in the United States had FPG levels in the prediabetes and diabetes ranges. Of the 5.5 million Hispanic women, about 4 million had never been told by a health care provider that they had any risk for diabetes or prediabetes, or were borderline for diabetes. Furthermore, nearly 1 million of the 4 million who were unaware of their elevated FPG levels and diabetes status had not seen a health care provider within the past year.
The difference in the finding that Hispanic women with elevated FPG levels were less likely to have seen a health care provider (75.8%) vs. non-Hispanic white (92.9%) and non-Hispanic black (90.2%) women was significant (P=.018).
The researchers, who also looked at socioeconomic status, demographic and health-related issues as well as cultural differences, said there is an urgent need “for increased efforts to enhance use of traditional health services by Latinas and to develop alternate sites for diabetes screening.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.