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. 2004 Oct;96(10):1325–1331.

Screening for diabetes in an African-American community: the Project DIRECT experience.

Deborah S Porterfield 1, Rebecca Din 1, Angela Burroughs 1, Barri Burrus 1, Regina Petteway 1, Linda Treiber 1, Betty Lamb 1, Michael Engelgau 1
PMCID: PMC2568551  PMID: 15540883

Abstract

AIM: To report the results of a community-based screening program associated with Project DIRECT, a multiyear diabetes mellitus prevention and control project targeting African-American residents of southeast Raleigh, NC. METHODS: Between December 1996 and June 1999, 183 screening events took place in community settings.Screening was by capillary glucose concentration. Participants with a positive screen were referred for confirmatory testing and physician follow-up. MAIN RESULTS: Risk factors for diabetes were prevalent, including ethnic minority race (88.2%), obesity (45.6%), and family history of diabetes (41.7%). In all, 197 personshad an elevated screening result; the prevalence of diabetes in the screened population that underwent follow-up testiing was 1.7%. Despite persistent tracking efforts, 28% of the persons with a high screening test received no final diagnosis CONCLUSIONS: In this community-based screening program targeted to high-risk African Americans, risk factors for diabetes were common, but new cases of undiagnosed diabetes among participants were uncommon. Intensive follow-up for persons with high screening values is necessary but difficult to achieve. Our results support national recommendations against community-based screening; opportunistic screening for diabetes in clinical settings is likely a more effective use of resources.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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