Self-management practices among adult Americans with diabetes: A study of the 2017 – 2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Abstract
Background: Diabetes is a multifactorial disorder. Individuals with diabetes must comply with self-management practices to control their condition. This study provides a snapshot of self-management practices among adult Americans with diabetes.
Methods: This study analyzed the 2017 – 2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to compute the proportion of American adults ≥ 18 years of age with diagnosed, undiagnosed, and misdiagnosed diabetes who reported their self-management practices recommended by the American Diabetic Association. The behaviors examined include (1) the use of insulin and medication to lower blood glucose, (2) an annual visit to a diabetic specialist, (3) an annual testing for hemoglobin A1C, and (4) the self-monitoring of daily glucose levels.
Results: Among adult individuals who had an A1C level of above 6.4, approximately 75% were diagnosed with diabetes by their physicians, 20% were not diagnosed, and 5% were misdiagnosed as pre-diabetes. Among individuals with diagnosed diabetes, 36% were taking insulin at the time of the survey, 74% were taking diabetic medication, 20% saw a diabetic specialist within the past year, 86% had their A1C measured within the past year, and 65% were monitoring their blood glucose daily. In contrast, none of the individuals who were either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed were taking insulin. Approximately 10% of undiagnosed and 44 % of misdiagnosed were taking diabetic medication. Neither individuals who were undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with diabetes saw a diabetic specialist within the past year, had their A1C measured within the past year, nor were monitoring their blood glucose daily.
Conclusion: The biggest challenge in controlling diabetes is the increasing number of individuals with undiagnosed and misdiagnosed diabetes. Clinical and public health providers must strategize different approaches to accurately diagnose people with the condition so that interventions can be implemented to prevent consequent diabetic complications.
Keywords
diabetes, pre-diabetes, compliance to self-management, undiagnosed diabetes.
Self-management practices among adult Americans with diabetes: A study of the 2017 – 2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Background: Diabetes is a multifactorial disorder. Individuals with diabetes must comply with self-management practices to control their condition. This study provides a snapshot of self-management practices among adult Americans with diabetes.
Methods: This study analyzed the 2017 – 2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to compute the proportion of American adults ≥ 18 years of age with diagnosed, undiagnosed, and misdiagnosed diabetes who reported their self-management practices recommended by the American Diabetic Association. The behaviors examined include (1) the use of insulin and medication to lower blood glucose, (2) an annual visit to a diabetic specialist, (3) an annual testing for hemoglobin A1C, and (4) the self-monitoring of daily glucose levels.
Results: Among adult individuals who had an A1C level of above 6.4, approximately 75% were diagnosed with diabetes by their physicians, 20% were not diagnosed, and 5% were misdiagnosed as pre-diabetes. Among individuals with diagnosed diabetes, 36% were taking insulin at the time of the survey, 74% were taking diabetic medication, 20% saw a diabetic specialist within the past year, 86% had their A1C measured within the past year, and 65% were monitoring their blood glucose daily. In contrast, none of the individuals who were either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed were taking insulin. Approximately 10% of undiagnosed and 44 % of misdiagnosed were taking diabetic medication. Neither individuals who were undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with diabetes saw a diabetic specialist within the past year, had their A1C measured within the past year, nor were monitoring their blood glucose daily.
Conclusion: The biggest challenge in controlling diabetes is the increasing number of individuals with undiagnosed and misdiagnosed diabetes. Clinical and public health providers must strategize different approaches to accurately diagnose people with the condition so that interventions can be implemented to prevent consequent diabetic complications.
