Diabetes and African Americans

African Americans are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as non-Hispanic whites. In addition, they are more likely to suffer complications from diabetes, such as end-stage renal disease and lower extremity amputations. Although African Americans have the same or lower rate of high cholesterol as their non-Hispanic white counterparts, they are more likely to have high blood pressure.

African American adults were 1.9 times more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to have been diagnosed with diabetes by a physician.
In 2002, African American men were 2.1 times as likely to start treatment for end-stage renal disease related to diabetes, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
In 2003, diabetic African Americans were 1.7 times as likely as diabetic Whites to be hospitalized.
In 2005, African Americans were 2.2 times as likely as non-Hispanic Whites to die from diabetes.

At a glance – Diagnosed Cases of Diabetes:

**Age-adjusted percentages of physician-diagnosed diabetes among persons 20 years of age and over, 2001-2004 (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES)**
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
11.6	6.1	1.9

Source: CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 55.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf

**Age-adjusted percentages of persons 18 years of age and over with diabetes, 2006 (National Health Interview Survey, NHIS)**
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
12.0	6.7	1.8

Source: CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2006. Table 8.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf

At a glance – Prevalence Rate:

**Age-adjusted prevalence of diagnosed diabetes per 100 population (2005)**
	African Americans	White	African Americans/ White Ratio
Men and Women	8.2	5.0	1.6
Men	8.0	5.4	1.5
Women	8.3	4.7	1.8

Source: CDC 2006. National Diabetes Surveillance System.
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/index.htm

**Age-adjusted prevalence of visual impairment per 100 adults with diabetes (2005)**
	African Americans	White	African Americans/ White Ratio
Men	14.4	16.6	0.9
Women	20.0	19.5	1.0

Source: CDC 2007. National Diabetes Surveillance System.
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/index.htm

**Rate of initiation of treatment for end-stage renal disease related to diabetes per 100,000 diabetic population (2002)**
	African Americans	White	African Americans/ White Ratio
Men and Women	395.6	192.3	2.1
Men	470.2	222.7	2.1
Women	344.5	165.8	2.1

Source: CDC 2006. National Diabetes Surveillance System.
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/index.htm

**Age-adjusted rate of hospitalization per 1,000 diabetic population, 2003**
African Americans	White	African Americans/ White Ratio
80.5	47.2	1.7

Source: CDC 2006. National Diabetes Surveillance System.
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/index.htm

**Age-adjusted rate for lower extremity amputation per 1,000 diabetic population, 2003**
African Americans	White	African Americans/ White Ratio
5.0	3.2	1.6

Source: CDC 2006. National Diabetes Surveillance System.
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics/index.htm

At a glance – Death Rate:

**Age-Adjusted Diabetes Death Rates per 100,000 (2005)**
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
46.9	21.5	2.2

Source: CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 29
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf

At a Glance – Risk Factors:

Overweight

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 20 years of age and over who are overweight or obese, 2001-2004. (Persons are considered overweight if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater.) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
	African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
Men	67.0	71.0	0.9
Women	79.6	57.6	1.4

Source: CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 74.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who are overweight but not obese, 2006. (Persons are considered overweight if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater.) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans /Non- Hispanic White Ratio
33.7	34.5	1.0

Source: CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2007 Table 31.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf

Obesity

Age-adjusted percentage of overweight persons 20 years of age and over who are obese, 2001-2004. (Persons are considered obese if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater.) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
	African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
Men	31.2	31.0	1.0
Women	51.6	31.5	1.7

Source: CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 74.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who are obese, 2005. (Persons are considered obese if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater.) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans /Non- Hispanic White Ratio
35.3	24.7	1.4

Source: CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2006. Table 31.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf

Hypertension

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 20 years of age and over who have high blood pressure, 2001-2004. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)**
	African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
Men	27.8	17.1	1.6
Women	26.9	17.9	1.5

Source: CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 70.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who have high blood pressure 2006. National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)**
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
31.6	22.4	1.4

Source: CDC 2007. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2006. Table 2.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_235.pdf

**Percent of adults age 18 and over with hypertension whose blood pressure is under control, 1999-2002**
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
28.2	30.6	0.9

Source: 2006 National Healthcare Quality Report. Table T1.50.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr06/index.html

**Percent of adults age 18 and over with hypertension whose blood pressure is under control, 1999-2004**
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
29.2	33.1	0.9

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Quality Report. Table T1.54.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr07/index.html

High Cholesterol

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 20 years of age and over who have high cholesterol, 2001-2004.**
	African American	Non-Hispanic White	African American/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
Men	14.2	16.0	0.9
Women	14.8	17.4	0.9

Source: CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 71.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf

Cigarette Smoking

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who are current cigarette smokers, 2006.**
	African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
Men	26.1	24.3	1.0
Women	17.3	21.4	0.8

Source: CDC, 2007. Health United States, 2007. Table 63.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus07.pdf

**Percentage of current smokers age 18 and over with a checkup who reported receiving advice to quit smoking, 2004**
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
62.5	64.8	1.0

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Quality Report. Table T1.41a.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr07/index.html

**Percentage of heart attack patients given smoking cessation counseling while hospitalized, 2005**
African Americans	White	Hispanic/White Ratio
89	92.8	1.0

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 48.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr07/index.html

At a Glance – Treatment:

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 40 years of age and over with diabetes who had their cholesterol checked, 2003.**
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
99.1	96.3	1.1

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 21b.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr07/index.html

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 40 years of age and over with diabetes who had received an influenza immunization, 2004.**
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
33.4	49.3	0.7

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 24b.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr07/index.html

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 40 years of age and over with diabetes who had a foot examination, 2004.**
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
75	71.9	1.0

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 23b.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr07/index.html

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 40 years of age and over with diabetes who had a retinal eye examination, 2004**
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
68.9	69.9	1.0

Source: 2007 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 22b.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr07/index.html

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Content Last Modified: 6/27/2008 9:53:00 AM