Diabetes and Lipid Screening in Primary Care
Author Information
Author(s): Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman, John P Forman, Kimberly Lane, Herve Caspard, Matthew W Gillman
Primary Institution: Harvard Medical School/Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Hypothesis
The study aims to assess rates of diabetes and lipid screening in primary care according to demographic variables and weight status.
Conclusion
Patients with higher BMI or age were more likely to be screened for cardiometabolic risk factors, but some obese patients were under-screened.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients aged 65 and older were screened 260-330% more than those under 35.
- Women were screened at lower rates than men across all risk factors.
- Screening rates were at least 80% among very-high risk patients.
Takeaway
The study found that older and heavier patients are more likely to get checked for diabetes and cholesterol, but many still miss out on these important tests.
Methodology
The study assessed screening rates for blood glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol among 5025 patients over a 3-year follow-up period using electronic medical records.
Potential Biases
Potential biases include under-screening of females and missing data on important risk factors.
Limitations
The study lacked data on socioeconomic status and had missing race/ethnicity data for 34% of patients.
Participant Demographics
Mean age was 47.4 years; 69% were female, 21% were non-white, and 30% of males and 25% of females were obese.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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