[Type II diabetic patients in general practice. A regional questionnaire survey--analysis and consequences]

In the offices of 26 general practitioners in Upper Franconia, Germany, a complete survey of all type II diabetics was carried out. A total of 2,180 type II diabetics were analyzed in terms of age, sex and treatment with diet alone, tablets, or insulin. On average, each office is looking after 7.8% such diabetics, whose median age was 70 years, with 79% being older than 60. The considerable difference in the distribution of diabetics treated with diet alone, tablets or insulin among the various doctor's offices are discussed. The significance of inter-physician differences with respect to decision-making, e.g. when to start the patient on insulin, is examined. The data point up a need for the auditing of general practitioners.