OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between diabetes-related lower-extremity amputation (LEA) and ethnicity, age, source of payment, geographic location, diabetes severity, and health condition in adults with diabetes mellitus type 2 living in border and non-border counties in Texas, United States of America, and to assess intra-border region geographic differences in post-LEA treatment. METHODS: This correlational study was based on secondary data from the 2003 Texas Inpatient Hospital Discharge Data. The sample consisted of individuals 45 years of age and older with type 2 diabetes who had undergone a nontraumatic LEA (n = 5,865). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were applied. RESULTS: The following characteristics were predictors of LEA: being Hispanic or African American, male, ≥ 55 years old, and a Medicare or Medicaid user, and living in a border county. Persons with moderate diabetes and those who suffered from cardiovascular disease or stroke also had higher odds of undergoing an LEA. Post-LEA occupational therapy was significantly less prevalent among border residents (9.5%) than non-border residents (15.3%) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Understanding the factors that influence diabetes-related LEA may lead to early detection and effective treatment of this disabling consequence of diabetes along the U.S.-Mexico border.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between diabetes-related lower-extremity amputation (LEA) and ethnicity, age, source of payment, geographic location, diabetes severity, and health condition in adults with diabetes mellitus type 2 living in border and non-border counties in Texas, United States of America, and to assess intra-border region geographic differences in post-LEA treatment. METHODS: This correlational study was based on secondary data from the 2003 Texas Inpatient Hospital Discharge Data. The sample consisted of individuals 45 years of age and older with type 2 diabetes who had undergone a nontraumatic LEA (n = 5,865). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were applied. RESULTS: The following characteristics were predictors of LEA: being Hispanic or African American, male, ≥ 55 years old, and a Medicare or Medicaid user, and living in a border county. Persons with moderate diabetes and those who suffered from cardiovascular disease or stroke also had higher odds of undergoing an LEA. Post-LEA occupational therapy was significantly less prevalent among border residents (9.5%) than non-border residents (15.3%) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Understanding the factors that influence diabetes-related LEA may lead to early detection and effective treatment of this disabling consequence of diabetes along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Authors: Marlene Garcia; Brian Hernandez; Tyler G Ellington; Anupama Kapadia; Joel Michalek; Susan Fisher-Hoch; Joseph B McCormick; Anand Prasad Journal: Diabetes Care Date: 2019-04-09 Impact factor: 19.112