High Prevalence of Undiagnosed Hyperglycemia in Low-Income Overweight and Obese Hispanic Women in Oregon

• Published in: Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities 2019-08, Vol.6 (4), p.799-805
• Main Authors: Lindberg, Nangel M., Vega-López, Sonia, LeBlanc, Erin S., Leo, Michael C., Stevens, Victor J., Gille, Sara, Arias-Gastélum, Mayra, Shuster, Elizabeth, Meenan, Richard, Vaughn, Katherine A., Shaw, Meagan C., Turner, Ann
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Body mass index; Body size; Body weight; Body weight loss; Classification; Data collection; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Diagnosis; Epidemiology; Fasting; Glucose; Health care facilities; Health facilities; Health risks; High risk; Hispanic people; Hyperglycemia; Low income groups; Medical records; Medical referrals; Medical screening; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Obesity; ORIGINAL PAPERS; Overweight; Quality of Life Research; Social Inequality; Social Structure; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Undiagnosed; Women; Womens health
• ISSN: 2197-3792; 2196-8837
• DOI: 10.1007/s40615-019-00578-9

Background Overweight Hispanic women are at high risk for type 2 diabetes. A clinical diagnosis of hyperglycemia is often necessary to access interventions. We examined the prevalence of undiagnosed hyperglycemia among a group of low-income overweight or obese Hispanic women, who were receiving care at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Methods Among 196 overweight or obese Hispanic women (mean age 44 ± 10 years, mean weight 86.8 ± 16.5 kg, mean body mass index [BMI] 36.5 ± 6.4 kg/m 2 ) enrolled in a randomized clinical weight-loss trial, we compared A1C and fasting blood glucose (FBG) obtained at baseline with women’s existing diabetes and prediabetes diagnoses in the medical record. Results According to the information in participants’ medical records, 36% (70/196) had diagnosed diabetes, 20% (39/196) had a diagnosis of prediabetes, and the remaining 44% (87/196) had neither diagnosis. Among participants without a diagnosis of diabetes or prediabetes during the baseline screening for our study, 63% (55/87) had at least one test in the prediabetes range (baseline A1C and FBG were in prediabetes range for 39 and 55 participants, respectively), and 13% (11/87) had at least one test in the diabetic range (baseline A1C and FBG values in diabetes range for 3 and 11 participants, respectively). Discussion We found substantial prevalence of undiagnosed hyperglycemia among a sample of overweight and obese Hispanic women. It is possible that limited awareness of diabetes risk may be a barrier to patient compliance with screening recommendations.