Glucose control in korean immigrants with type 2 diabetes.

Despite the rising incidence of type 2 diabetes in Korean immigrants, little is known about glucose control in these individuals. This descriptive study examined factors influencing glucose control in Korean immigrants with type 2 diabetes. Participants were 143 Korean immigrants with type 2 diabetes who completed questionnaires, a finger stick blood test for glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and anthropometric measures. The mean HbA1c level was 7.6 % (SD = 1.5; range = 5.6 to 12.5). Less than half of the participants (41.3%) met the American Diabetes Association's goal of less than 7%. After adjusting for demographic and health variables, family diet support, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), the duration of diabetes, the number of diabetic medications, and age significantly influenced glucose control. Findings support the positive role of family involvement in diabetes management. Patients with long-standing diabetes, higher WHR, and more diabetic medications deserve special attention because they tend to have higher HbA1c levels.