Diabetes in Racial and Ethnic Minorities in the United States: Individualizing Approaches to Diagnosis and Management

Diabetes is a growing health epidemic in the United States. Racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by diabetes and associated comorbidities and complications. The present review article aims to characterize the various ways in which minority populations are affected by diabetes. We address differences in prevalence of diabetes and associated conditions that include cardiovascular disease, hypertension, microvascular complications, and mortality. Additionally, we discuss factors that contribute to disparate diabetes-related outcomes, including physiology, culture and healthsystems. Finally, we look at outcomes of various interventions taken to address health disparities in diabetes care, specifically in racial and ethnic minority populations. <DOI>10.2174/1573399812666160926142036</DOI>