Need and disparities in primary care management of patients with diabetes

Alessandra Buja, Rosa Gini, Modesta Visca, Gianfranco Damiani, Bruno Federico, Daniele Donato, Paolo Francesconi, Alessandro Marini, Andrea Donatini, Salvatore Brugaletta, Giorgia Bardelle, Vincenzo Baldo, Mariadonata Bellentani, Valore Project

An aging population means that chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, are becoming more prevalent and demands for care are rising. Members of primary care teams should organize and coordinate patient care with a view to improving quality of care and impartial adherence to evidence-based practices for all patients. The aims of the present study were: to ascertain the prevalence of diabetes in an Italian population, stratified by age, gender and citizenship; and to identify the rate of compliance with recommended guidelines for monitoring diabetes, to see whether disparities exist in the quality of diabetes patient management.