A new report Women at High Risk for Diabetes: Access and Quality of Health Care, 2003–2006 was released on February 14, 2011 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) . The full report can be downloaded or free print copies ordered HERE .

Using the most scientifically based measures and national data sources available, this collaborative effort compared the quality of preventive health care received by U.S. women at high risk for diabetes with that for U.S. women not at high risk for diabetes. The report presents quality measures across several crucial elements of health care: access to care, general health and wellbeing, and use of preventive care and behaviors.
Among the report’s major findings:
·         Regardless of diabetes risk status, minority women, women with low levels of education, or women who lived in low income families more often reported having fair-to-poor health.
·         Regardless of diabetes risk status, women with a high school education or less were significantly more likely than women with more than a high school education to have been uninsured all year.
·         Women at high risk for diabetes who had a high school education or less were significantly less likely than women at high risk for diabetes who had more than a high school education to have tried to lose weight in the past year.
·         Women at high risk for diabetes were significantly less likely than women not at high risk for diabetes to report that they were physically active 150 minutes per week, the level of moderate physical activity per week recommended as part of a strategy to prevent or delay onset of type 2 diabetes.

Additional resources on diabetes and women can be found HERE.

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Comments

It's interesting how the study discovered that low-income and low-educated women are at risk for diabetes more than their educated and wealthier counterparts because while I'm a minority woman, I went to college and make a nice income. But it wasn't until I started exhibiting prediabetes symptoms like sleep apnea and frequent urination in my 30s that I started researching my family's health history. I wish someone would've given me an instruction manual for my body when I was growing up. I don't know why but my parents didn't think to tell me about any diseases that ran in our family until I asked - both my parents have diabetes and high blood pressure and my grandfather died of kidney disease. Now I’m on a prediabetes diet and my workouts are no longer just to make sure my clothes fit well –I’m working out to save my life. I know the public school system has enough on its hands just to educate students today, but I wonder if there's a way to teach children early on about self-care and healthcare as part of their curriculum. Or at the very least have a "healthcare card" like a report card that travels with them through each grade so that they're at least aware... They say "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," right?

Hello, Just been reading through you site and this article ref diabetes, as a type 1 diabetic man I realise how hard it must be for women with this condition, we blokes have it easy I think! I feel for women with diabetes especially regarding pregnancy and childbirth, not an easy time anyway but then you through in diabetes and it gets so much trickier! Yup, I'm pleased I'm a man :)

I tend to agree with you on a common observation that woman from less income group do not have resources to get proper mental health and good nutritious food supplement from young age and it does affect their health in a long term.

I came across this website which states that there is a surgery that can reverse type 2 diabetes. The website has a video with information and a patient testimonial. On the video, the doctor states that he can resolve type 2 diabetes through metabolic surgery, and that his success rate is 90%. Although this is a post about women and diabetes, I am wondering if there are any studies regarding metabolic surgery and just how effective it is in reversing the disease. I have scheduled a telephone conference with the doctor for Monday, June 27, and I hope to have more information by then, but any type of information that I could have for the teleconference with the doctor regarding this surgery would be very valuable.

I have prediabetes and highly recommend checking blood sugar. I've learned a lot about what foods trigger spikes and how to better control my blood sugar through a low carb diet and exercise.

I just came across your blog while researching the issue of women at high risk for Diabetes and have been reading along. Interesting report. Thank you for sharing this with us. It is always great to read informative post like this.

I read the whole report, very interesting. however, isn't is obvious that women from a lower social status or with less income are in high risk to develop diabetics? if you cannot afford good nutrition or lack of knowledge on what good nutrition is - you most likely be in higher risk of developing such illness? sorry for being very simple, this is my humble opinion.

Unfortunately, an increase in Diabetes is inevitable given the obesity epidemic. Until there is a massive education program that teaches the general population the the basics of good nutrition and the importance of leading a physically active lifestyle, the obesity epidemic will not be reversed. And I dont think that the obesity epidemic is confined to lower socio economic groups. I work with a nutritionist and exercise physiologist who has a practice in a high income area. Pre diabetes and type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly in that area.

The article on Women and Diabetes is quite good and as a woman I feel empowered.

When I was searching about women`s health about diabetics I found your blog as well as this thread. This thread is really attractive and informative about women and diabetic`s. Thanks for your kind information.