Objective: To evaluate the relationships between HbA1c levels and the recommended diabetes management practices captured in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHAHES) datasets between 2007 and 2018 in adults with diabetes.
Methods: This study utilized a cross-sectional approach. Logistic regression models were created, adjusting for covariates while examining the relationships between diabetes management practices and HbA1c levels.
Results: The study included 4,623 individuals with an average age of 62 years (SD 0.19). Of these individuals, 33.8% were non-Hispanic Whites, 26.9% non-Hispanic Blacks, 17.4% Mexican Americans, 10.7% other Hispanics, and 11.3% other races. The following table summarizes these relationships' odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals, and p-values.
Conclusion: From 2007 to 2018, participants who saw a diabetes specialist once or less per month were less likely to have a lower A1c level (< 9%). Those who reported checking their feet, reducing fat/calories in their diet, and taking Insulin were significantly more likely to have a lower A1c level than their counterparts. These significant findings confirm the importance of the recommended diabetes management (e.g., nutrition and medication) at the national level, reinforcing the ongoing large-scale public health campaigns that are warranted to support the existing messages to patients with diabetes.
C.F.Young: Other Relationship; Abbott Diabetes. C.Myung: None.
