Levels of diabetes-related preventive-care practices--United States, 1997-1999.

Persons with diabetes are at increased risk for serious complications (e.g., blindness, kidney failure, nontraumatic lower-extremity amputations, and cardiovascular disease) (1). Preventive-care practices, such as annual dilated eye and foot examinations, self-monitoring of blood glucose, and glycemic control, are effective in reducing both the incidence and progression of diabetes-specific complications (2-6). Despite the benefits of preventive-care practices, many persons with diabetes in the United States do not receive these services (7). The national health objectives for 2010 include increasing the proportion of persons with diabetes who 1) have an annual dilated eye examination to 75%, 2) have an annual foot examination to 75%, 3) perform self-monitoring of their blood glucose (SMBG) at least once daily to 60%, and 4) have a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) measurement at least once a year to 50%. To measure levels of preventive-care practices, CDC analyzed data from the 1997-1999 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicate that levels of preventive-care practices among persons with diabetes are lower than the national health objectives for 2010 (Figure 1).