Comorbidities among Ohio's nursing home residents with diabetes

To determine the magnitude of diabetes mellitus among Ohio nursing home residents and the comorbid conditions affecting residents with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN, METHOD, AND SETTINGS: In certified Ohio nursing homes during 1999, 161,723 residents were eligible for this study because they had been admitted for at least 1 day that year, had been assessed using the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare's Minimum Data Set instrument, were 21 years old or older, and had a known sex and race. Eligible residents with diabetes were compared with those without diabetes with respect to comorbidity.

The 25% of residents diagnosed with diabetes were younger, more often male, and more often black than residents without this disorder. Residents with diabetes were also more likely to have cardiovascular diseases; visual problems; foot conditions, including missing limbs; and kidney failure. Residents with diabetes were less likely to have oral problems than residents without diabetes.

The Minimum Data Set instrument identifies important comorbidities among nursing home residents with diabetes and allows their disease course to be followed longitudinally. Nursing home residents in Ohio, and presumably in other states, bear a heavy burden from diabetes and significant comorbidities.