[Health care in non-insulin dependent diabetics in lower Normandy]

To contribute to better quality health care for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus living in the French Department Basse-Normandie, the Regional Union of General Practitioners (URML) and the Regional Union of the Nation Health Insurance (URCAM) studied ambulatory practices in this population in 1999. Eight hundred diabetics whose health care reimbursements suggested they were not followed by a specialized center were studied: 400 received a mailed questionnaire and for the 400 others, another questionnaire was filed out by the primary care physician. The physicians' responses demonstrated that they do not feel certain recommended complementary investigations are always necessary for following diabetic patients (microalbuminuria, glycated hemoglobin, search for neuropathy, ophthalmology consultation). Interaction with diabetologists, nutritionists and chiropodists was found to be insufficient. Globally, the responses of the diabetics was coherent with the physicians' statements, providing further precision concerning health care delivery and propositions for improvement. These results can be used to better target education programs for associations, specialists and general practitioners.