271428 Racial disparity of eye exam among the US work-age population with diabetes: 2002-2009

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 2:50 PM - 3:10 PM

Qian Shi , Department of Global Health Systems and Development, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
Yingnan Zhao , Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administration, Saint Joseph College School of Pharmacy, Hartford, CT
Lizheng Shi , Department of Global Health Systems and Development, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
This study aimed to assess the racial disparity of eye exam received among non-institutionalized Americans with diabetes from 2002 to 2009. Work-age people (age: 18-64 years) with diabetes were selected from the annual data of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) Household Component. Non-Hispanic whites and minorities were identified according to their racial/ethnic self-responses on the MEPS survey. People with at least one dilated eye exam reported were considered to have received eye exam in that year. Rate of eye exam was calculated yearly, and compared between non-Hispanic whites and minorities within each year. The rates were weighted to national statistics. The population rates of eye exam were stable between 55% (2009, weighted sample: 11,690,640) and 57% (2003, weighted sample: 8,331,031) in the last 8 years. Non-Hispanic whites performed better than minority population in all these 8 years. Furthermore, the rate increased from 56% in 2002 to 63% in 2009 among non-Hispanic whites, while the rate in minorities decreased from 56% in 2002 to 48% in 2009. The largest racial gap of 15% was shown in 2008, followed by 11%, 10% and 7% in 2006, 2009 and 2005, respectively. All these differences were statistically significant at 0.05 level. The racial disparity in receiving eye exam among the people with diabetes has been identified between non-Hispanic whites and minorities in the last decade in the United States. This racial gap has deteriorated in the recent years, with the difference as large as 15% in 2008.

Learning Areas:
Biostatistics, economics
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe 2002-2009 eye exam condition in diabetes population Compare annual eye exam rate between racial/ethnic groups over time

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I attended another project focusing on diabetic patients' monitoring,which have been accepted by ADA annual meeting.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.