Many Hispanics With Diabetes Not Receiving Eye Exams, Unaware of Retinopathy

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Title: Many Hispanics With Diabetes Not Receiving Eye Exams, Unaware of Retinopathy
URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/225C32.htm
Doctor's Guide
July 14, 2008

CHICAGO -- July 14, 2008 -- Hispanic patients with diabetes appear to have less frequent eye examinations than the national average for Hispanic individuals, and many are not aware of the potential ocular complications of diabetes, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

"The limited use of healthcare services in minority groups may make them more susceptible to the complications of uncontrolled diabetes," the authors wrote. "In addition, a substantial proportion of those with diabetes are unaware of their condition, although already presenting signs of moderate to severe diabetic retinopathy."

"The importance of appropriate and timely care for diabetic retinopathy or macular edema is paramount, as it is the leading cause of visual loss among working-age Hispanic individuals."

Beatriz Muñoz, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, and colleagues, interviewed 349 randomly selected Hispanic individuals without diabetes and a group of 204 Hispanic individuals with diabetes. Participants answered questions about demographic information, healthcare habits, and knowledge of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.

The researchers found that less than 10% of participants preferred reading in English and 50% reported language barriers to healthcare.

Knowledge of eye disease as a consequence of diabetes was reported by 18% of nondiabetics with no family history of diabetes (NF), 29% in nondiabetics with a family history of diabetes (WF), 36% in those newly diagnosed with diabetes (ND), and 52% diagnosed with diabetes more than 1 year prior (DD).

Understanding that strict control of diabetes could prevent eye problems was reported by 16% of patients in the NF group, 28% in the WF group, 13% in the ND group, and 34% in the DD group.

Awareness of the importance of dilated eye examinations was reported by 33% of patients in the NF group, 51% in the WF group, 31% in the ND group, and 48% in the DD group.

Less than one-third (30%) of diabetic participants had had an eye examination in the previous year, compared with 70% to 75% in national samples of Hispanics. Almost half of those with diabetes for more than 1 year and 79% of those diagnosed in the previous year had never had a dilated eye exam.

"The lack of correct information about diabetes and diabetic eye disease in this population of Hispanic individuals should be of great concern," the authors wrote.

"The frequency of dilated eye examinations among people with diabetes was unacceptable and places this population at risk of visual loss. These deficiencies need to be rectified with a culturally appropriate health education campaign and with innovative ways to reduce barriers to healthcare."

SOURCE: Archives of Ophthalmology

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