Better care at safety net providers? Utilization of recommended standards of diabetes care for rural Latinos in one Midwestern state

Abstract

Latinos are overrepresented among the uninsured in the U.S., and rural Latinos face a variety of barriers to accessing quality health care. The present study investigated the degree to which Latinos with diabetes living in non-metropolitan towns in the state of Iowa receive the recommended diabetes care services from health care providers vis-à-vis access to care. Four process measures were selected from the American Diabetes Association standards of medical care for diabetes: glycated hemoglobin tests, comprehensive foot examination, dilated eye examination, and cholesterol test. Results from this research found that just over half (54%) of the sample received all four of these diabetes care services. Adjusted logistic regression analysis showed patients were four times more likely to receive the set of four diabetes care services at a community health center than at a private doctor's office. These community clinics deserve additional attention as more Latino immigrants move to the Midwest.