A Diabetes Control Program in a Public Health Care Setting

The Houston Diabetes Control Program is part of an effort by the State of Texas and approximately 30 other programs throughout the United States to ensure that persons with diabetes-related complications receive ongoing state-of-the-art preventive care and treatment. For the past 5 years, this program has served an urban, high-risk patient population with special cultural, ethnic, and economic challenges. The intervention has included the development and implementation of protocols for the prevention and care of diabetes-related complications of the eyes, lower extremities, and cardiovascular system, as well as general management of diabetes and patient and professional education. The program is ongoing in nine community health centers located in low-income neighborhoods of a large metropolitan area. The results thus far indicate an increase in sensitive eye examinations from 8 percent to 26 percent of the patient population, a reduction in incidence of legal blindness from 9.5 to 2.7 per 1,000 during a 4-year period, an increase in foot examinations from 18 percent to 44 percent of the patient population, and 77 percent of hypertensive patients in good control of blood pressure at less than 160 over 95 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). On the average, there have not been significant long-term improvements in weight reduction or blood glucose control. The major challenges for this program are (a) improvement in control of glycemia, hypertension, and cholesterol; (b) more effective diet and physical activity interventions; and (c) more effective education approaches that help patients to understand metabolic and cardiovascular functions. These challenges will require collaboration of health care professionals in constructive and imaginative ways through their unselfish commitment toward common goals.