Assessing diabetes care disparities with ambulatory care quality measures

Objective To identify and describe racial/ethnic disparities in overall diabetes management. Data Source/Study Setting Electronic health record data from calendar year 2010 were obtained from all primary care clinics at one large health system in Minnesota (n = 22,633). Study Design We used multivariate logistic regression to estimate the odds of achieving the following diabetes management goals: A1C <8 percent, LDL cholesterol <100 mg/dl, blood pressure <140/90 mmHg, tobacco-free, and daily aspirin. Principal Findings Blacks and American Indians have higher odds of not achieving all goals compared to whites. Disparities in specific goals were also found. Conclusions Although this health system has above-average diabetes care quality, significant disparities by race/ethnicity were identified. This underscores the importance of stratifying quality measures to improve care and outcomes for all.