| The Quality of Medical Care Provided to Homeless Diabetes Patients in a General Hospital in Seoul, and the Prevalence of Diabetes Comorbidities |
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Sun Hee Beom1, Moo Kyung Oh2, Chul Woo Ahn3 |
1Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul
2Department of Preventive Medicine, Kangwon National University Hospital, Chuncheon
3Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University of Collage of Medicine, Seoul, Korea |
| 한 종합병원에 입원한 노숙인 당뇨병 환자의 당뇨관리 실태와 동반 질환 |
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범선희1, 오무경2, 안철우3 |
1서울특별시 서울의료원 내과
2강원대학교병원 예방의학과
3연세대학교 의과대학 내과학교실 |
Correspondence:
Chul Woo Ahn, Tel: +82-2-2019-3339, Fax: +82-2-2019-3339,, Email: acw@yuhs.ac
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Received: 24 July 2013 • Revised: 4 October 2013 • Accepted: 18 November 2013 |
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| Abstract |
Background/Aims: As an underprivileged population, homeless people have a higher incidence of morbidity and mortality than do non-homeless people. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease associated with high complication rates; its incidence is increasing rapidly and it requires prompt, adequate treatment and care. Therefore, we investigated the quality of medical care provided to homeless diabetics in a general hospital and comorbidities associated with diabetes.
Methods: Between March 25, 2011 and December 31, 2012, we retrospectively investigated the medical records of the diabetes patients at a general hospital in Seoul. We assigned the patients into two groups: homeless (n = 82) and non-homeless (n = 242) patients. We subsequently compared the clinical and laboratory findings, comorbidities, and complications between the two groups.
Results: The homeless diabetics received treatment less regularly than the non-homeless patients and were diagnosed with diabetes while visiting the hospital for the treatment of other diseases. The homeless patients had higher glycated hemoglobin A1c levels than the non-homeless patients. The homeless patients had a higher rate of other diseases, such as peripheral artery disease, acute infectious disease, intracranial hemorrhage, and pulmonary tuberculosis; a higher incidence of acute infectious disease (odds ratio [OR], 15.671; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.115-48.070); and a higher prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis (OR , 6.423; 95% CI, 1.785-23.116) than the non-homeless patients, as determined by multivariate analysis.
Conclusions: Comorbid acute infectious disease and pulmonary tuberculosis were found more frequently in homeless diabetes patients presenting to the hospital than in non-homeless diabetes patients. Therefore, attention should be paid to this differentiating factor. (Korean J Med 2014;86:585-592) |
| Key Words:
Homeless persons; Diabetes mellitus; Tuberculosis, pulmonary |
| 주제어:
노숙인; 당뇨병; 폐결핵 |
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