Depression and All‐Cause Mortality in Persons with Diabetes Mellitus: Are Older Adults at Higher Risk? Results from the Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes Study

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/107493/1/jgs12833.pd

Competing Demands for Time and Self-Care Behaviors, Processes of Care, and Intermediate Outcomes Among People With Diabetes: Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD)

ObjectiveTo determine whether competing demands for time affect diabetes self-care behaviors, processes of care, and intermediate outcomes.Research design and methodsWe used survey and medical record data from 5,478 participants in Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) and hierarchical regression models to examine the cross-sectional associations between competing demands for time and diabetes outcomes, including self-management, processes of care, and intermediate health outcomes.ResultsFifty-two percent of participants reported no competing demands, 7% reported caregiving responsibilities only, 36% reported employment responsibilities only, and 6% reported both caregiving and employment responsibilities. For both women and men, employment responsibilities (with or without caregiving responsibilities) were associated with lower rates of diabetes self-care behaviors, worse processes of care, and, in men, worse HbA(1c).ConclusionsAccommodations for competing demands for time may promote self-management and improve the processes and outcomes of care for employed adults with diabetes

Predictors and Impact of Intensification of Antihyperglycemic Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes: Translating Research into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD)

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine the predictors of intensification of antihyperglycemic therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes; its impact on A1C, body weight, symptoms of anxiety/depression, and health status; and patient characteristics associated with improvement in A1C.Research design and methodsWe analyzed survey, medical record, and health plan administrative data collected in Translating Research into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD). We examined patients who were using diet/exercise or oral antihyperglycemic medications at baseline, had A1C >7.2%, and stayed with the same therapy or intensified therapy (initiated or increased the number of classes of oral antihyperglycemic medications or began insulin) over 18 months.ResultsOf 1,093 patients, 520 intensified therapy with oral medications or insulin. Patients intensifying therapy were aged 58 +/- 12 years, had diabetes duration of 11 +/- 9 years, and had A1C of 9.1 +/- 1.5%. Younger age and higher A1C were associated with therapy intensification. Compared with patients who did not intensify therapy, those who intensified therapy experienced a 0.49% reduction in A1C (P < 0.0001), a 3-pound increase in weight (P = 0.003), and no change in anxiety/depression (P = 0.5) or health status (P = 0.2). Among those who intensified therapy, improvement in A1C was associated with higher baseline A1C, older age, black race/ethnicity, lower income, and more physician visits.ConclusionsTreatment intensification improved glycemic control with no worsening of anxiety/depression or health status, especially in elderly, lower-income, and minority patients with type 2 diabetes. Interventions are needed to overcome clinical inertia when patients might benefit from treatment intensification and improved glycemic control

Educational Disparities in Rates of Smoking Among Diabetic Adults: The Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes Study

Objectives. We assessed educational disparities in smoking rates among adults with diabetes in managed care settings. Methods. We used a cross-sectional, survey-based (2002–2003) observational study among 6538 diabetic patients older than 25 years across multiple managed care health plans and states. For smoking at each level of self-reported educational attainment, predicted probabilities were estimated by means of hierarchical logistic regression models with random intercepts for health plan, adjusted for potential confounders. Results. Overall, 15% the participants reported current smoking. An educational gradient in smoking was observed that varied significantly (P<.003) across age groups, with the educational gradient being strong in those aged 25 to 44 years, modest in those aged 45 to 64 years, and nonexistent in those aged 65 years or older. Of particular note, the prevalence of smoking observed in adults aged 25–44 years with less than a high school education was 50% (95% confidence interval: 36% to 63%). Conclusions. Approximately half of poorly educated young adults with diabetes smoke, magnifying the health risk associated with early-onset diabetes. Targeted public health interventions for smoking prevention and cessation among young, poorly educated people with diabetes are needed

Correlates of depression among people with diabetes: The Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) study

Aim The broad objective of this study was to examine multiple dimensions of depression in a large, diverse population of adults with diabetes. Specific aims were to measure the association of depression with: (1) patient characteristics(2) outcomesand (3) diabetes-related quality of care. Methods Cross-sectional analyses were performed using survey and chart data from the Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) study, including 8790 adults with diabetes, enrolled in 10 managed care health plans in 7 states. Depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8). Patient characteristics, outcomes and quality of care were measured using validated survey items and chart data. Results Nearly 18% of patients had major depression, with prevalence 2-3 times higher among patients with low socioeconomic status. Pain and limited mobility were strongly associated with depression, controlling for other patient characteristics. Depression was associated with slightly worse glycemic control, but not other intermediate clinical outcomes. Depressed patients received slightly fewer recommended diabetes-related processes of care. Conclusions In a large, diverse cohort of patients with diabetes, depression was most prevalent among patients with low socioeconomic status and those with pain, and was associated with slightly worse glycemic control and quality of care

Educational disparities in health behaviors among patients with diabetes: the Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) Study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Our understanding of social disparities in diabetes-related health behaviors is incomplete. The purpose of this study was to determine if having less education is associated with poorer diabetes-related health behaviors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This observational study was based on a cohort of 8,763 survey respondents drawn from ~180,000 patients with diabetes receiving care from 68 provider groups in ten managed care health plans across the United States. Self-reported survey data included individual educational attainment ("education") and five diabetes self-care behaviors among individuals for whom the behavior would clearly be indicated: foot exams (among those with symptoms of peripheral neuropathy or a history of foot ulcers); self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG; among insulin users only); smoking; exercise; and certain diabetes-related health seeking behaviors (use of diabetes health education, website, or support group in last 12 months). Predicted probabilities were modeled at each level of self-reported educational attainment using hierarchical logistic regression models with random effects for clustering within health plans.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Patients with less education had significantly lower predicted probabilities of being a non-smoker and engaging in regular exercise and health-seeking behaviors, while SMBG and foot self-examination did not vary by education. Extensive adjustment for patient factors revealed no discernable confounding effect on the estimates or their significance, and most education-behavior relationships were similar across sex, race and other patient characteristics. The relationship between education and smoking varied significantly across age, with a strong inverse relationship in those aged 25–44, modest for those ages 45–64, but non-evident for those over 65. Intensity of disease management by the health plan and provider communication did not alter the examined education-behavior relationships. Other measures of socioeconomic position yielded similar findings.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The relationship between educational attainment and health behaviors was modest in strength for most behaviors. Over the life course, the cumulative effect of reduced practice of multiple self-care behaviors among less educated patients may play an important part in shaping the social health gradient.</p

Diabetes Care in Black and White Veterans in the Southeastern U.S.

Abstract available at publisher's web site