Sex Disparities in Diabetes Process of Care Measures and Self-Care in High-Risk Patients

• Published in: Journal of diabetes research Vol. 2013; no. 2013; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Yu, Margaret K., Lyles, Courtney Rees, Bent-Shaw, Luis A., Young, Bessie A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Puplishing Corporation 01.01.2013; Hindawi Publishing Corporation; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Activities of daily living; Blood pressure; Clinical medicine; Diabetes; Ethnicity; Exercise; Fruits; Gender differences; Glucose; Health maintenance organizations; Hemoglobin; HMOs; Hypertension; Kidney diseases; Laboratories; Mental depression; Patients; Pharmacy; Physical fitness; Primary care; Womens health; United States > US
• ISSN: 2314-6745; 2314-6753
• DOI: 10.1155/2013/575814

Patients with chronic diabetic complications experience high morbidity and mortality. Sex disparities in modifiable factors such as processes of care or self-care activities have not been explored in detail, particularly in these high-risk patients. Sex differences in processes of care and self-care activities were assessed in a cross-sectional analysis of the Pathways Study, an observational cohort of primary care diabetic patients from a managed care organization (N=4,839). Compared to men, women had decreased odds of dyslipidemia screening (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.73, 95% CI 0.62–0.85), reaching low-density lipoprotein goal (AOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.58–0.86), and statin use (AOR 0.69, 95% CI 0.58–0.81); women had 19% greater odds of reaching hemoglobin A1c <7% (95% CI 1.02–1.41). There were no sex differences in hemoglobin A1c testing, microalbuminuria screening, or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor use. Women were less likely to report regular exercise but had better adherence to healthy diet, glucose monitoring, and self-foot examination compared to men. Patterns of sex differences were consistent in subjects with diabetic complications. Significant sex disparities exist in diabetes process of care measures and self-care, even amongst patients known to have chronic diabetic complications.