Identifying State-Wide Health Disparities in Diabetes Mellitus Management in Arizona: Review of Healthy People 2020 Performance

Healthy People (HP) 2020 is a national initiative focused on health promotion and disease prevention. Three state-wide metrics in Arizona were evaluated including diabetes-related death rate, biannual measurement of glycosylated hemoglobin (HA1c), and annual foot exam. The overall results of this review point to an alarming level of disparity that exists among Black patients for the three analyzed metrics. The American Indian population also experienced disproportionately high rates of diabetes-related death in Arizona. Additional variances were noted among uninsured patients and those who had received less than a high school degree. Identifying groups who are the most vulnerable to health inequity, investigating root cause, and addressing social determinants of health are critical to improving the health of our nation.