Diabetes among Hispanics in Oklahoma: Assessing Disparities to Guide Basic and Applied Research.

Background –: Diabetes, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, disproportionally affects minority populations. In 2015, Hispanics, the largest minority in the country, had the third highest rate of diabetes prevalence and the third highest age-adjusted rate of diabetes-related mortality. Substantial progress in understanding diabetes disparities nationally and in many areas of the country has been made. However, little is known about diabetes and related mortality among Hispanics in Oklahoma, which is known as a Hispanic "new Settlement" state due to the relatively recent and substantial growth of this population.

Methods –: We used Oklahoma Behavioral and Risk Factor Surveillance Survey data (2011-2016) to calculate population estimates of diabetes prevalence and selected sociodemographic characteristics for Hispanic and Non-Hispanic adults in the state. We used Oklahoma Death Registry data to estimate diabetes-related mortality rates for Hispanic and Non-Hispanic adults for the same five-year period. We examined differences in diabetes prevalence and diabetes-related mortality across selected sociodemographic characteristics.

Results –: Hispanics are the largest minority group in Oklahoma. Spanish is the most common non-English language spoken in the state. Hispanics are younger, poorer, less educated and experience less access to health care compared to other populations in Oklahoma. While Hispanics had the fifth highest reported diabetes prevalence rate during the five-year period examined, they had the third highest diabetes-related mortality rate in the state.

Discussion and conclusions –: There is a need for community engagement and basic and applied research to help identify and reduce diabetes disparities in the growing Hispanic population in Oklahoma.