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Research Highlights
Opportunistic Screening for Diabetes Pays Off, VA Study Reports
Taken from the Veterans Health Administration Highlights dated January 18, 2002
Performing diabetes tests on people visiting the doctor for other health concerns may be a helpful and cost-effective screening strategy, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Durham, North Carolina, VA Medical Center that was published in the January issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
"Opportunistic" diabetic screening can be easily incorporated into a patient’s care, providing a better prospect for follow-up care. Among 1,253 VA outpatients without recognized diabetes who were screened for diabetes, 4.5 percent were found to have the disease. Based upon their newfound status, 61 percent of the group testing positive for diabetes required a change in treatment for such conditions as high or low blood sugar levels and hypertension.
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