Trends in Uncontrolled Diabetes Ambulatory Care Utilization among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Populations, 1996-2005

Aim: The purpose of this study is to estimate the number of ambulatory care visits by Hispanic/Non-Hispanic population with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. We report estimates of national (Total), doctor's private office (DPO), hospital outpatient (OD) and emergency department (ED) visits by the Hispanic/non-Hispanic population from 1996-2005. Methods: Data from NHAMCS and NAMCS were used to estimate the Total, DPO, OD and ED visits for diabetes by ethnicity (Hispanic versus non-Hispanic) from 1996-2005. Estimates for visits were obtained from SETS software (Statistical Export and Tabulation System, CDC 2005) for uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (ICD-9-CM code 250.X2 or 250.X3, listed as primary diagnosis). Results: The estimated percent of visits for uncontrolled diabetes mellitus among the Total US population increased from 2.23% (888,238/39,885,593); uncontrolled/total diabetes) in 1996/1997 to 3.85% (2,265,814/58,886,975) in 2004/2005. The estimated percent of visits for uncontrolled diabetes mellitus among the Non-Hispanic US population (non-Hispanic race/ethnicity and no-imputation) increased from 2.14% (604,673/28,197,299) in 1996/1997 to 3.90% (1,558,179/39,943,067) in 2004/2005. The estimated percent of visits for uncontrolled diabetes mellitus among Hispanic population (Hispanic race/ethnicity and no-imputation) increased from 3.41% (153,254/4,500,374) in 1996/1997 to 5.91% (369,985/6,259,530) in 2004/2005. Conclusions: National data suggest that the burden of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus affecting Hispanic and non-Hispanic populations may have increased over the last 10 years. The percent of uncontrolled diabetes appears to be higher among the Hispanic population than the non-Hispanic population.