Study: Many Older Americans Poorly Controlling Diabetes

According to a new study out of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, only one in three older Americans with diabetes have the disease under good control. Failing to properly manage diabetes can lead to long-term health problems ranging from kidney disease to blindness.

The researchers looked at three different measures to good diabetes control: hemoglobin A1C, blood pressure and LDL cholesterol. Of the individuals studies, 72 percent met the hemoglobin A1C level, 73 percent met blood pressure goals and 63 percent had good cholesterol levels. Only 35 percent of the individuals met all three targets.

The study also showed racial disparities, mostly in women. The researchers noted that black women were much less likely to have acceptable blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels than white women.

The researchers said their findings will be used to determine how clinical targets can better be met and how they should be addressed from a public health perspective.

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