Introduction & Objective: Evidence-based guidelines recommend several practices to facilitate diabetes management. This study explored the association between individual characteristics and diabetes care behaviors among Black and White women.
Methods: Cross sectional data from the 2018-2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were pooled yielding a sample of 149,706 women with diabetes. Logistic regression models evaluated the association between individual level characteristics and the likelihood of having an annual healthcare visit, taking a diabetes education course, and checking feet at least once a day.
Results: White women living in an urban area and currently employed were less likely to have an annual healthcare visit within the last year. For Black women, being employed was associated with not having taken a diabetes education course. A daily diabetes-related self-care behavior, checking feet for sores or irritations, was less likely among Black women who were high school graduates and White women with a higher income and those who were employed.
Conclusion: Results suggest that employment may be a barrier to diabetes management among both Black and White women. Offering virtual diabetes education courses and opportunities for annual visits outside of traditional office hours could benefit women with diabetes who are members of the workforce.
A. Burch: None. M.M. Jacobs: None.
