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Does the shortage of diabetes specialists in regional and rural Australia matter? Results from Diabetes MILES-Australia
Citation
Skinner, T and Allen, P and Peach, E and Browne, JL and Pouwer, F and Speight, J and Dunbar, JA, Does the shortage of diabetes specialists in regional and rural Australia matter? Results from Diabetes MILES-Australia, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 100, (2) pp. 222-229. ISSN 0168-8227 (2013) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Crown Copyright 2013
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2013.03.015
Abstract
Aim
To investigate differences in access to services and health outcomes between people living with Type 1 (T1DM) and Type 2 (T2DM) diabetes in rural/regional and metropolitan areas.
Methods
Diabetes MILES—Australia was a national postal/online survey of persons registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme. Selected variables, including utilisation of health care services and self-care indicators, were analysed for 3338 respondents with T1DM (41%) or T2DM (59%).
Results
Respondents from rural/regional (n=1574, 48%) and metropolitan areas were represented equally (n=1700, 52%). After adjusting for diabetes duration, demographic and socioeconomic variables, rural/regional respondents with T1DM (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83–0.97) and T2DM (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.59–0.81) were less likely to report consulting an endocrinologist during the past 12 months. Rural/regional respondents with T1DM were more than twice as likely to have accessed a community/practice nurse for diabetes care (RR 2.22, 95% CI 1.25–3.93) while those with T2DM were more likely to have accessed a diabetes educator (RR 1.21, 95% CI 1.07–1.36) or dietician (RR 1.17, 95% CI 1.07–1.36). For the T1DM and T2DM groups were no differences between rural/regional and metropolitan respondents in self-reported hypoglycaemic events during past week and the majority of self-care indicators.
Conclusions
Despite a lack of access to medical specialists, respondents with T1DM and T2DM living in rural/regional areas did not report worse health or self-care indicators. The results suggest that multidisciplinary primary services in rural areas may be providing additional care for people with diabetes, compensating for poor access to specialists.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Diabetes management, health indicators, rural, access to healthcare |
| Research Division: | Medical and Health Sciences |
| Research Group: | Clinical Sciences |
| Research Field: | Endocrinology |
| Objective Division: | Health |
| Objective Group: | Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions) |
| Objective Field: | Diabetes |
| UTAS Author: | Skinner, T (Professor Timothy Skinner) |
| UTAS Author: | Allen, P (Dr Penny Allen) |
| ID Code: | 86591 |
| Year Published: | 2013 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 7 |
| Deposited By: | Rural Clinical School |
| Deposited On: | 2013-09-30 |
| Last Modified: | 2015-03-05 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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