Survey Assesses Physician Knowledge Of Prediabetes Risk Factors

When a survey was given to primary care physicians (PCPs) at a medical retreat most of the 140 respondents did not know all 11 risk factors that qualify individuals for pre-diabetes screening. They did select eight out of the 11 risk factors correctly, on average.

The Johns Hopkins researchers who distributed the survey also found nearly a third of the PCPs were unacquainted with the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA’s) pre-diabetes guidelines.

“Although this survey was conducted among primary care providers from a large academically-affiliated practice and may not represent providers from other types of practice settings, we think the findings are a wake-up call for all primary care providers to better recognize the risk factors for pre-diabetes, which is a major public health issue,” said researcher Eva Tseng, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.


The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates 86 million U.S. adults have pre-diabetes, and 70 percent of them will develop type 2 diabetes if the condition is not addressed. Dietary changes, increased physical activity, and medication are the recommended measures for preventing the progression to type 2 diabetes.

Unfortunately, about 90 percent of those with pre-diabetes are unaware they have the symptoms. Wanting to understand why so many people go undiagnosed prompted the Johns Hopkins survey.

The survey asked PCPs to select pre-diabetes risk factors from a list, and to identify measures such as screening guidelines, fasting glucose and A1C values for pre-diabetes, weight loss, and activity guidelines, and initial patient management approaches. The PCPs’ attitudes and beliefs about pre-diabetes were also assessed.

The doctors’ survey answers revealed some differences between what they practice, and what the ADA recommends.


For instance, the ADA recommends referring those with pre-diabetes to behavioral weight loss programs, a treatment that research supports, but only 11 percent of the physicians selected this as a pre-diabetes management tool. However, 96 percent of the PCPs selected diet and physical activity counseling to address the condition.

“Primary care providers play a vital role in screening and identifying patients at risk for developing diabetes. This study highlights the importance of increasing provider knowledge and availability of resources to help patients reduce their risk of diabetes,” says study author Nisa Maruthur, assistant professor of medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine
Photo credit: Vic


More Articles

With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.

Farro...

Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....

With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...

If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...

In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.

When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...

More Articles

If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....

For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.

A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...

According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...

Eleven Clinical Studies

After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...

Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...

Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...

Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...

Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...

Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....

When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...

Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.

The...

Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...

Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...

Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...

One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...