Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Oct 2020
Citizenship and health insurance status predict glycemic management: NHANES data 2007-2016.
The prevalence of diabetes in United States (US) immigrants is higher than the general population. Non-citizenship and lack of health insurance have been associated with increased health risks including diabetes, but previous US studies were done in non-representative samples and did not examine the effect on glycemic management. The purpose of this study was to compare demographic, metabolic, and behavioral risk factors for increased blood glucose including citizenship and health insurance status, and determine predictors of poor glycemic management (A1C ≥ 8.0%). ⋯ Non- citizens (OR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.20-2.51) and uninsured persons (OR: 1.99, 95% CI: 1.53-2.59) were nearly twice as likely to have poor glycemic management than US citizens by naturalization and insured individuals respectively. We conclude that citizenship and absence of health insurance negatively impacts diabetes management. Policy decisions are needed that address primary and secondary prevention strategies for individuals without citizenship and health insurance to reduce diabetes burden in the US.