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Table 1 Racial differences in baseline* demographic and clinical status of diabetes patients (N = 1906)

From: Racial differences in long-term adherence to oral antidiabetic drug therapy: a longitudinal cohort study

 

Black

N = 498 (26.1%)

White

N = 1408 (73.9%)

Demographic Characteristics

  

Male

49.4

57.2

Mean Age (SD)

45(10)

53(13)

Census-Derived SES Measures

  

Living in neighborhood with mean household income below poverty level

30.9

9.2

Living in neighborhood where >75% residents do not understand spoken English

32.4

13.6

Living in neighborhood where >75% residents do not have high school degree

5.6

0.8

Health Service Utilization

  

Mean # of MD Visits (SD)

3(2)

3(2)

Mean # of Lab Tests (SD)

2(1)

2(1)

Clinical Characteristics

  

Glycemic Control§

  

   Good (<7.0%)

35.7

41.1

   Moderate (7.0%–9.0%)

44.4

45.4

   Poor (>9.0%)

19.9

13.6

Mean HbA1c Values§ (SD)

7.8(1.6)

7.6(1.5)

Body Mass Index (BMI)||

  

   Overweight (30–<40)

42.6

48.6

   Obese (40+)

16.0

13.6

Mean BMI|| (SD)

33.2(7.6)

32.8(6.6)

Comorbidities

  

Any Diabetes-Related Hospitalizations

8.6

10.8

Any Diabetes-Related ER Visits

9.4

9.2

Monthly Mean # AHFS (SD)

1.9(0.9)

2.1(1.0)

Self-Management Practice

  

Initiation of Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose

70.7

59.6

Initiation of Medication Therapy

  

   Sulfonylurea

86.7

85.8

   Metformin (alone or in combination)

13.2

14.2

  1. Data are expressed as % patients or mean (SD).
  2. *Baseline = 12 months prior to first drug prescription, not including the month of first script.
  3. p <.05.
  4. § Among those with a baseline HbA1c test (% with HbA1c data = Black: 34.3%; White: 41.3%)
  5. || Among those with a baseline BMI (% with BMI data = Black: 49.0%; White: 52.1%).
  6. AHFS = American Hospital Formulary Services.