Indicator Report - Diabetes Hemoglobin A1c Tests
Why Is This Important?
Proper diabetes management requires regular monitoring of blood glucose levels. Monitoring and maintaining appropriate blood glucose levels can significantly reduce the risk of developing or worsening complications; particularly microvascular complications, such as blindness, kidney failure, and neuropathy. Intensive blood glucose control requires frequent monitoring, four or more times a day, with a glucometer, a portable measuring devise that individuals can use to check their blood glucose levels at random times during the day.Glucometers provide immediate feedback on blood glucose levels. An A1C exam, however, tells a person what his or her average blood sugar level has been over the past 2-3 months and is a more reliable indicator of blood sugar control. When levels of glucose in the bloodstream are high, more glucose is available to attach to red blood cells. The A1C test measures the average amount of glucose that has attached to red blood cells over the prior 2-3 months. For most people with diabetes, the target A1C level is less than 7 percent. Higher levels suggest that a change in therapy may be needed. Therefore, obtaining regular A1C tests plays an important role in diabetes management.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes have an A1C test at least two times a year. However, the test should be conducted quarterly for those people who are not meeting target glycemic goals or who have had a recent change in therapy (See http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/27/suppl_1/s15#T7)
Percentage of Respondents With Diabetes Who Had at Least Two Hemoglobin A1c Tests in the Past 12 Months, Utah and U.S., 2000-2006
Data Notes
Rates are age-adjusted and standardized to 2000 U.S. population.Data Sources
Utah Data: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Office of Public Health Assessment, Utah Department of Health. U.S. Data: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).Definition
Hemoglobin A1c test (A1C) for this indicator refer to the percentage of persons aged 18 or older with diagnosed diabetes who self-reported they had at least two A1C tests in the prior year. The data for this measure come from the Utah BRFSS. Respondents are asked how many times during the past year a health care professional had checked their A1C levels. Respondents who reported they had at least two A1C tests during the prior 12 months year were counted as having met the condition for this indicator.How We Calculated the Rates
| Numerator: | Number of adults aged 18 or older with diagnosed diabetes who had at least two A1C tests in the prior year. |
| Denominator: | Total number of surveyed adults aged 18 or older who were ever told by a health care professional that they had diabetes (excludes those who answered didn't know if they were tested and those who refused to answer the question). |
Page Content Updated On 10/25/2007,
Published on 07/14/2011
