The status of diabetes care in Mexican population: are we making a difference? Results of the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2006.

OBJECTIVE Examine clinical indicators to evaluate diabetes care in Mexico. MATERIAL AND METHODS Diabetics (self reported, with therapy) were examined with standardized questionnaires, anthropometry, glucose, lipids and glycohemoglobin. Data were analyzed statistically. RESULTS There were 2 644 patients, 677 cases without access to medical care (73% women), most lived in rural communities and spoke aboriginal dialect. Prevalence of obesity for private access group was 21.2%, for other or non access group was between 31 and 65%. The group without or basic education was most common, 76% of the cases had HDL <40 mg/dl and 36% had hypertriglyceridemia. Only 6.6% of patients had HbA1c <7%. There was no significant difference between HbA1c values observed in the group with or without access. Most patients were treated with oral agents. A significant group was without therapy. Assessments for complications was infrequent. CONCLUSIONS Current model for diabetes care in Mexico is inefficacious and a paradigm change is necessary.