Type 2 diabetes mellitus screening rates in racial and ethnic minority groups

More than 7 million Americans aged 18 years and older have undiagnosed diabetes. As primary health care moves toward preventative medicine, it is important that diabetes screening deficits are addressed.

The purpose of this study was to identify current screening rates among racial and ethnic minorities who are considered at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Data were collected through an IRB-approved i2b2 database from previously consented patients who had been treated at a large academic health center and outpatient facilities. Patients who were included in this study were those seen in outpatient settings between June 2011 and June 2019, aged 18-39 years at high risk for developing T2DM, defined as those of a racial and ethnic minority background, obese, and with a family history of T2DM.

Approximately 1,476 ± 3 individuals were identified as high risk, and of those, only 106 ± 3 (13.9%) were screened for T2DM between June 2011 and June 2019. Following the American Diabetes Association guidelines of including body mass index ≥25 kg/m2, approximately 1,263 ± 3 of the original 1,476 patients were identified as overweight with high risk, and of those patients, only 90 ± 3 (13.8%) were screened.

Findings indicate that less than 14% of patients at high risk for developing T2DM in their lifetime are being screened.

Screening strategies need to be developed and implemented to better identify individuals at high risk of developing T2DM, which may lead to earlier diagnosis, treatment, and decreased disease burden.