Table 2.
Factors associated with HbA1c levels in Brazilian patients with type 1 diabetes
| Independent variable | Participants, n | HbA1c means in % (SD) | β Coefficient (95% CI) | P value |
| Block 1—sociodemographic | ||||
| Age (years) | ||||
| 18–29 | 296 | 9.35 (2.36) | Ref | 0.198 |
| 30–49 | 412 | 9.54 (2.28) | 0.186 (−0.146 to 0.517) | |
| ≥50 | 271 | 9.24 (1.95) | −0.118 (−0.484 to 0.248) | |
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 354 | 9.25 (2.08) | Ref | 0.122 |
| Female | 625 | 9.48 (2.29) | 0.229 (−0.061 to 0.518) | |
| Race/skin colour | ||||
| White | 488 | 9.26 (2.10) | Ref | 0.058 |
| Mixed | 286 | 9.32 (2.33) | 0.133 (−0.191 to 0.456) | |
| Black | 122 | 9.84 (2.34) | 0.576 (0.136 to 1.017) | |
| Other | 83 | 9.62 (2.31) | 0.361 (−0.155 to 0.877) | |
| Education | ||||
| At least some college | 154 | 9.13 (1.82) | Ref | 0.002 |
| Secondary/high school | 424 | 9.21 (2.15) | 0.084 (−0.325 to 0.492) | |
| Primary school or less | 398 | 9.70 (2.40) | 0.565 (0.154 to 0.977) | |
| Block 2—behavioural | ||||
| Self-perception of adherence to diet | ||||
| Excellent | 129 | 8.79 (2.22) | Ref | <0.001 |
| Good | 327 | 9.13 (2.09) | 0.344 (−0.103 to 0.792) | |
| Fair/poor | 523 | 9.72 (2.25) | 0.931 (0.508 to 1.354) | |
| Self-perception of adherence to insulin | ||||
| Excellent | 750 | 9.28 (2.12) | Ref | <0.001 |
| Good | 144 | 9.59 (2.30) | 0.315 (−0.074 to 0.703) | |
| Fair/poor | 62 | 10.82 (2.49) | 1.543 (0.978 to 2.107) | |
| Participation in lecture for diabetes in the last year | ||||
| Yes | 345 | 9.11 (2.09) | Ref | <0.001 |
| No | 540 | 9.67 (2.31) | 0.549 (0.247 to 0.850) | |
| Participation in association of patients with diabetes | ||||
| Yes, still participate | 116 | 9.09 (1.88) | Ref | 0.023 |
| Yes, but no more participate | 124 | 9.02 (1.80) | −0.067 (−0.627 to 0.492) | |
| No, I never participated | 713 | 9.51 (2.32) | 0.418 (−0.016 to 0.851) | |
| Block 3—clinical | ||||
| BMI (kg/m2) | ||||
| <25.0 | 502 | 9.45 (2.29) | Ref | 0.273 |
| ≥25.0 | 455 | 9.30 (2.08) | −0.156 (−0.435 to 0.123) | |
| Regular medical visit in the last year | ||||
| Yes | 878 | 9.34 (2.19) | Ref | 0.020 |
| No | 101 | 9.89 (2.42) | 0.541 (0.084 to 0.998) | |
| Endocrinologist visit in the last year | ||||
| Yes | 800 | 9.32 (2.15) | Ref | 0.014 |
| No | 177 | 9.77 (2.50) | 0.453 (0.091 to 0.814) | |
| Diabetes care in specialised service in the last year | ||||
| Yes | 661 | 9.32 (2.18) | Ref | 0.120 |
| No | 318 | 9.56 (2.29) | 0.236 (−0.061 to 0.533) | |
| Diabetes care in private clinic in the last year | ||||
| Yes | 95 | 8.87 (1.61) | Ref | 0.014 |
| No | 884 | 9.46 (2.27) | 0.586 (0.117 to 1.055) | |
| Diabetes care in the same service | ||||
| Yes | 921 | 9.36 (2.18) | Ref | 0.015 |
| No | 57 | 10.10 (2.64) | 0.735 (0.142 to 1.328) | |
| Time since diabetes onset (years) | ||||
| <10 | 261 | 9.43 (2.66) | Ref | 0.326 |
| 10–19 | 307 | 9.52 (2.11) | 0.094 (−0.273 to 0.460) | |
| ≥20 | 408 | 9.27 (1.97) | −0.115 (−0.497 to 0.192) | |
| Self-monitoring glucose | ||||
| Yes, regularly | 663 | 9.25 (2.14) | Ref | 0.008 |
| Yes, when decompensated | 160 | 9.72 (2.28) | 0.463 (0.080 to 0.845) | |
| No | 151 | 9.74 (2.46) | 0.489 (0.097 to 0.881) | |
| Number of insulin doses per day | ||||
| Four times | 168 | 8.91 (1.97) | Ref | 0.001 |
| Three times | 290 | 9.38 (2.10) | 0.477 (0.062 to 0.892) | |
| Two times or less | 505 | 9.61 (2.29) | 0.707 (0.326 to 1.088) | |
| Measurement of HbA1c in the last year | ||||
| Yes | 533 | 9.10 (1.93) | Ref | <0.001 |
| No | 184 | 10.00 (2.48) | 0.901 (0.576 to 1.226) | |
| Do not know | 261 | 9.40 (2.43) | 0.298 (−0.070 to 0.665) |
Bivariate linear regression analyses.
BMI, body mass index; HbA1c, glycated haemoglobin.