Chin?Lin Tseng|Usha Sambamoorthi|Mangala Rajan|Anjali Tiwari|Susan M. Frayne|Patricia A. Findley|Leonard Pogach
Are there gender differences in diabetes care among elderly medicare enrolled veterans?
VA New Jersey Health Care System|VA New Jersey Health Care System|VA New Jersey Health Care System|VA New Jersey Health Care System|Stanford University|VA Palo Alto Health Care System|VA New Jersey Health Care System|Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey|VA New Jersey Health Care System
examine gender differences diabetes care process measures intermediate outcomes among veteran clinic usersa retrospective cohort study using veterans health administration vha medicare files vha clinic users diabetes diabetes care process measures tests hemoglobin a1c hba1c lowdensity lipoprotein ldlc values eye exams intermediate outcomes hba1c ldlc values recommended thresholds chisquare tests logistic regressions used assess gender differencesstudy population included 3225 women 231922 men veterans diabetes enrolled medicare feeforservice alive end fiscal year 2000overall significant gender differences hba1c ldlc testing however women higher rates process measures men among nonafrican american minorities women likely completed eye exams odds ratio or111 99 confidence interval ci110 123 less likely ldlc 130 mgdl or077 99 ci069 087among vha patients diabetes clinically significant gender inequality apparent diabetes care measures however evidence better care among nonwhite nonafrican american women male counterparts research interaction race gender diabetes care needed includes evaluation integrated vha womens health programs well cultural issues lower ldlc control among women suggests areas unmet needs women opportunities future targeted quality improvement interventions system provider levels