Health disparities- In the past, research has shown that control of heart disease and diabetes may vary based on race, ethnicity, or education level of the patient.

In the April 21, 2009 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, new research reveals that, while control of blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol levels has improved, the previously observed racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic differences in level of control have not really changed.

Harvard Medical School researchers and their colleagues used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted from 1999 to 2006 to assess national trends in blood pressure control, glucose control, and cholesterol control, as well as to analyze changes in differences by race, ethnicity, and education for each of these control measures. The survey included adults aged 40 to 85 years old. The researchers found that control of blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol has improved since 1999 for adults with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. However, they found that the difference in glucose control among white and Hispanic diabetes widened. They also found that the blood pressure gap between blacks and whites was smaller among adults aged 65 to 85 than among adults aged 40 to 64 years old. This same age-related reduction between blacks and whites and Hispanics and whites was also found for control of diabetes.

Since 2001, the Institute of Medicine has recommended expanding access, improving quality, and eliminating disparities in health care. Although this study demonstrated that overall management of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in the United States has improved, it also revealed that this improvement has not resulted in discernible reductions in racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic differences in blood pressure or glucose control. The findings of this study do suggest, however, that Medicare coverage after age 65 is associated with reductions in these disparities.

Source:

Ann Intern Med. 2009;150:505-515.