Does General Health Differ by Routine Check-up in Diabetic, Middle-Aged Females?

Purpose: Given limited evidence that routine check-ups with a medical provider improves quality of life, the purpose of this study is to assess whether general health differs by routine check-up in diabetic, middle-aged females. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used 2016 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for diabetic females ages 45-65 from Alabama (N=370), Georgia (N=256), Kentucky (N=485), Mississippi (N=275), and West Virginia (N=268). The relationship between general health and routine check-up was assessed separately by state using multiple logistic regression analysis while controlling for comorbid health conditions, weight status, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use, age, ethnicity, educational level, income level, and employment status. Results: Across states, about half of diabetic females reported fair or poor general health (50-53%), while most reported having a routine check-up within the past year (90-93%). Adjusted analysis indicated that general health was not significantly related to routine check-up but was inversely related to having diabetes plus two or more health conditions and positively related to physical activity. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that general health was not related to routine check-up in diabetic middle-aged females. However, there was a strong inverse relation between those patients with good or better general health and those with diabetes plus two or more health conditions and a moderate relation between physical activity and good or better general health. Therefore, in diabetic middle-aged females, practitioners should automatically screen for general health, other health conditions and physical activity in order to optimize treatment, manage diabetes and other health conditions, and properly educate their patients to optimize their general health.