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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) are pleased to release this report, Women With Diabetes: Quality of Health Care, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This report uses national data sets to show gaps in knowledge about quality of care among women with diagnosed diabetes. The report examines the quality of health care in the United States for women with and without diagnosed diabetes, using the most scientifically based measures and national data sources available. It presents 15 measures of health care quality showing the use of services in several areas: access to care, general well-being, evidence-based diabetes-specific preventive care, cardiovascular disease-specific preventive care, cancer-specific care, immunizations, and dental care. An estimated 24 million people in the United States, or 8% of adults 20 years or older, have diabetes; of these, almost half are women. Projections indicate that women will account for the majority of cases between 2010 and 2050.2 According to the Public Health Service Task Force on Women's Health Issues, diabetes is a women's health issue because of the unique health concerns that can arise from diabetes in pregnancy. In addition, women with diabetes face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, many reports do not stratify by sex, so it is difficult to determine the quality of care that women with, or are at risk of, diabetes receive. Chronic illnesses and complications from diseases such as diabetes can affect overall quality of life. These conditions may place people at risk of disability, comorbid conditions such as depression and cardiovascular disease, and premature death. Diabetes treatment strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality include specific interventions such as strict blood glucose control, eye and foot examinations, and cholesterol and blood pressure control. Recent national data suggest that implementation of these recommendations for diabetes care for the total diabetic population has improved since 1995. However, the quality of care remains suboptimal. The projected increase in the number of women with diagnosed diabetes suggests the need for analyses of data that examine the level of use of recommended preventive care services for these women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaborated with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to develop this report, which assesses and describes the quality of care that women with diagnosed diabetes receive in the United States. The information in this report can be used to identify gaps in public health programs, policies, research, and services related to women with diagnosed diabetes across the lifespan. Programs specifically designed to ameliorate barriers to optimal care are needed to reduce the sex disparities in quality of health care currently delivered to women with diagnosed diabetes.

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