Diabetes in minorities: reflections on the medical dilemma and the healthcare crisis.

In summary, diabetes in minorities is clearly on the increase. The complication rates are likewise increasing, contributing to the large burden of health care costs. This is a significant medical dilemma inasmuch as these high-risk populations are among the fastest-growing segments of our society. Fortunately, delay and prevention of complications are now possible, although greater programmatic interventions will be required. The absence of such interventions is a reflection of the dimensions of our health care crisis. What is more, we have such poor insight into the reasons for the higher risks and rates of disease and its complications. This means that a critical step toward resolution of this dilemma is more research.