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Self-Care Disparities Among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in the USA

  • Lifestyle Management to Reduce Diabetes/Cardiovascular Risk (C Shay and B Conway, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Suboptimal glycemic control is more common among non-Hispanic Blacks (NHBs) and Hispanics than non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). Disparities in the performance of self-care behaviors may contribute to this. To synthesize knowledge on current self-care disparities, we reviewed studies from January 2011–March 2016 that included NHWs, NHBs, and Hispanics with type 2 diabetes in the USA. Self-care behaviors included diet, exercise, medications, self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), self-foot exams, and not smoking. Of 1241 articles identified in PubMed, 25 met our inclusion criteria. These studies report consistent disparities in medication adherence. Surprisingly, we found consistent evidence of no disparities in exercise and some evidence of reverse disparities: compared to NHWs, Hispanics had healthier diets and NHBs had more regular SMBG. Consistent use of validated measures could further inform disparities in diet and exercise. Additional research is needed to test for disparities in self-foot exams, not smoking, and diabetes-specific problem solving and coping.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Vanderbilt Center for Diabetes Translation Research (DK092986-06). Dr. Mayberry is supported by K01DK106306 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Dr. Osborn is supported by K01DK087894 and R01DK100694 from NIDDK.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Health Behavior and Health Education, Center for Diabetes Translation Research, Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA

    Lindsay Satterwhite Mayberry, Erin M. Bergner, Rosette J. Chakkalakal, Tom A. Elasy & Chandra Y. Osborn

  2. 2525 West End Ave. Suite 370, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA

    Lindsay Satterwhite Mayberry, Erin M. Bergner & Chandra Y. Osborn

  3. 1215 Twenty-First Ave South, Ste 6000, MCE North Tower, Nashville, TN, 37232-8300, USA

    Rosette J. Chakkalakal & Tom A. Elasy

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  1. Lindsay Satterwhite Mayberry
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Correspondence to Lindsay Satterwhite Mayberry.

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Lindsay Satterwhite Mayberry, Erin M. Bergner, Rosette J. Chakkalakal, Tom A. Elasy, and Chandra Y. Osborn declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Lifestyle Management to Reduce Diabetes/Cardiovascular Risk

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Mayberry, L.S., Bergner, E.M., Chakkalakal, R.J. et al. Self-Care Disparities Among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in the USA. Curr Diab Rep 16, 113 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-016-0796-5

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