Compliance with eye and foot preventive care in people with self-reported diabetes in Latin America and the Caribbean: Pooled, cross-sectional analysis of nine national surveys

Abstract

Aims: To estimate the proportion of people with self-reported diabetes receiving eye and foot examinations in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of national health surveys in nine countries. Adults aged 25-64 years with self-reported diabetes. We quantified the proportion who reported having an eye examination in the last two years or a foot examination in the last year. We fitted multilevel Poisson regressions to assess socio-demographic (age and sex) and clinical (oral hypoglycemic medication and insulin treatment) variables associated with having had examinations.

Results: There were 7435 people with self-reported diabetes included in the analysis. In three countries (Chile [64%; 95% CI: 56%-71%], British Virgin Islands [58%; 95% CI: 51%-65%], and Brazil [54%; 95% CI: 50%-58%]), >50% of people with diabetes reported having had an eye examination in the last two years. Fewer participants (<50% across all countries) reported having had a foot examination in the last year, with Ecuador having the lowest proportion (12%; 95% CI: 8%-17%). Older people, and those taking oral medication or insulin, were more likely to have eye/foot examinations.

Conclusions: The proportion of eye and foot examinations in people with self-reported diabetes across nine countries in LAC is low.

Keywords: Neuropathy; Prevention; Retinopathy.