Blood sugar problems persist for many Māori and Pasifika diabetics in 20-year study

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-05-13 09:27

New Zealand

Blood glucose testing - Creative Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blood_Glucose_Testing_-_Kolkata_2011-07-25_3982.JPG - Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)

Large ethnic differences in blood glucose status have persisted over two decades, according to a NZ-first study on how type 2 diabetes was managed in 32,237 Auckland patients. Māori and Pasifika were more often hyperglycaemic - having too much sugar in the blood due to insufficient insulin. For example, half of NZ Europeans met the blood sugar target while less than a third of Māori and Pasifika patients achieved this. Yet blood pressure was either similar across ethnic groups - or better controlled for Māori and Pasifika. The researchers say the glucose disparities are due to weaknesses in how health services support blood sugar control. They recommend collaboration between community and specialist care, as well as new treatments and reducing cultural barriers for people with type 2 diabetes.

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Research Elsevier, Web page

Journal/
conference: Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Auckland, Zhengzhou University (China), Keele University (UK), Western Sydney University (Australia), Diabetes Foundation Aotearoa, Counties Manukau Health, Waitemata District Health Board, National Hauora Coalition (New Zealand)

Funder: The DCSS was funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Health through Counties Manukau District Health Board. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the report. Conflict of interest: All authors have no conflict of interests.

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