PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Jeanne M Isabel
TI  - Examining the Incidence of Pre Diabetes in Belize
AID  - 10.29074/ascls.118.000174
DP  - 2018 Jan 01
TA  - American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
PG  - ascls.118.000174
4099  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/early/2018/04/25/ascls.118.000174.short
4100  - http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/early/2018/04/25/ascls.118.000174.full
AB  - Abstract This research included diabetes screening assessment for a population in Belize that may not have ready access to testing. Data gathered on gender, age and ethnicity was correlated with measurement of waist circumference and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). The investigator used a point of care screening test for HbA1c to determine whether individuals fell within the normal range, the prediabetes range or diabetic range. A random selection of participants in the Belmopan region were tested. Analysis of the data indicated that 33.1% of the population tested in the prediabetes range for HbA1c. This percentage should be a concern to health care personnel in Belize who may have limited resources for diabetes management of patients. An equally concerning finding is the number of participants in the diabetes range, 8.5%, who had not been previously diagnosed. Diabetes education and screening is essential to the health and wellbeing of the people of Belize.