Women with Diabetes: Disparities in Quality of Care

In 2005, women accounted for almost half of the estimated 21 million people in the United States with diabetes. Between 2000 and 2050, the number of women with diabetes is projected to exceed the number of men with diabetes across all life stages. Several evidence-based and cost-effective treatments for the reduction of morbidity and mortality have been recommended. However, use of these preventive practices have been found to be suboptimal. Additionally, most reports do not present data by sex. To address this gap, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to evaluate disparities in quality of preventive care by diabetes status and gender using nationally representative samples. The findings indicate that among women with and without diabetes disparities exist in access to and quality of care, including: source of insurance coverage; emergency room usage; dental care; and blood pressure control. However, women with diabetes are less likely than men with diabetes to have private insurance and more likely to have government coverage, and to be immunized against influenza and pneumococcal infection. This information identifies the need for greater programmatic efforts, polices, research, and services to address specific issues for women with diabetes across the life stages.