Diabetes Disparities: Where You Live Impacts Long-Term Health – AARP

We found significant differences in the rates of D5 attainment both by rurality and deprivation, she said.

Specifically, they found:

McCoy says that anyone living withdiabetesshould have access to a trusted health care provider who can help them meet the D5 metrics safely.

It is important to work closely with their health care providers to optimize blood glucose,blood pressureand cholesterol management; not smoke or use other tobacco products; and take aspirin if they have existing heart disease, she said.

Communication is key. Patients should tell their health care provider if they can afford and tolerate their medications, and discuss any other barriers to diabetes care, she said.

There are resources available to help people living with diabetes afford medications and testing supplies, and to live well with their diabetes. Pharmacists, certified diabetes care and education specialists, community health workers, community paramedics and social workers are all integral parts of the health care team and can help people living with diabetes, McCoy said.

For older adults with diabetes, McCoy suggests they select aMedicareAdvantage or Part D plan that covers the medications they need to manage their diabetes. She also cautions them to be particularly watchful of experiencing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hypotension (low blood pressure).

Older people are particularly susceptible to both, and both are dangerous. If they are, they need to tell their health care provider so their regimens can be changed. It is important for blood glucose and blood pressure to be in a safe range, not too high or too low, McCoy said.

Peter Urban is a contributing writer and editor who focuses on health news. Urban spent two decades working as a correspondent in Washington, D.C., for daily newspapers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Ohio, California and Arkansas, including a stint as Washington bureau chief for theLas Vegas Review-Journal.His freelance work has appeared inScientific American, Bloomberg Governmentand CTNewsJunkie.com.

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Diabetes Disparities: Where You Live Impacts Long-Term Health - AARP