Number of Diabetes Cases Increasing in California, New Research Finds
About 7% of Californians had been diagnosed with diabetes in 2005, with the number of cases jumping to 1.8 million from 1.5 million in 2001, according to new research by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, the Los Angeles Times reports.
However, researchers estimate that the actual number of cases might be as much as one-third higher because type 2 diabetes can go undiagnosed for years (Los Angeles Times, 8/23).
Research findings were based on data from the California Health Interview Survey from 2001 and 2005 (KNBC.com, 8/22).
Researchers found that Native Americans, Latinos and Asians experienced the sharpest increases in diabetes diagnoses, with some groups within the larger ethnic categories seeing markedly higher increases than others.
For example, the incidence of diabetes among Californians of Asian descent jumped from 5% in 2001 to 6.5% in 2005. Among Asians in California, the survey found diabetes rates of:
- 10.2% for Japanese;
- 8.6% for Filipino;
- 7.4% for Korean;
- 7% for Vietnamese; and
- 4.4% for Chinese.
A similar situation was found among Latinos in California. Diabetes rates for Californians of Central American ancestry increased from 5.2% in 2001 to 8.7% in 2005, while rates for Californians of Mexican descent rose from 7.2% in 2001 to 8.2% in 2005.
For whites in California, the incidence of diabetes increased from 5.6% in 2001 to 6% in 2005.
Diabetes rates among African Americans remained consistent at 10.1%, potentially indicating that community education and awareness campaigns are having some effect.
However, Allison Diamant, lead author of the report and an associate professor at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine, said the finding also could indicate that many African Americans are not receiving medical care, and therefore, are not being diagnosed (Los Angeles Times, 8/23). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.