Background: Studies have shown that racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare among adults with diabetes persist even after controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors. To eliminate healthcare disparities in the U.S., monitoring and reporting the most recent trends of disparities are critically important. In addition, no studies were found in the literature that focused on disparities in timeliness and patient centeredness of health care using retrospective databases.
Objectives: To examine the most recent racial and ethnic disparities in quality of health care (receipt of diabetes services, timeliness, and patient centeredness) among adults with diabetes in the U.S.
Methods: The 2005 and 2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data files including the Diabetes Care Survey and the Self-Administered Questionnaire were used. The racial and ethnic disparities in receipt of recommended diabetes services, timeliness, and patient centeredness were examined. Statistical analyses included the chi-square test and logistic regression to evaluate the disparities before and after controlling for the confounding factors (age, gender, family income, education, health insurance coverage, residential location, and language spoken most often at home).
Results: In 2005–2006, the racial and ethnic disparities in quality of health care among U.S. adults with diabetes still exist. Blacks and Hispanics were less likely to receive recommended diabetes services and patient-centered health care than white Americans. The only exception was in regard to foot examinations. There was no statistically significant difference in timeliness of health care among racial and ethnic groups.
Conclusions: Racial and ethnic disparities in receipt of recommended diabetes services and patient centeredness of health care among adults with diabetes remained in the U.S. in 2005–2006. Age, family income, health insurance coverage, education, residential location, and English-speaking were correlated with racial and ethnic disparities. As this study focused on disparities among Whites, Blacks and Hispanics, future studies comparing possible differences among other U.S. racial groups are needed.