Relationship Between Avoidable Hospitalizations for Diabetes Mellitus and Income Level

Abstract

THERE HAS BEEN increasing attention devoted to understanding social inequalities in access to health care. In the United States, individuals living in low-income areas have considerably higher rates of avoidable hospitalizations (AHs) for diabetes mellitus (DM), asthma, hypertension, and several other chronic diseases.^1-3 Diabetes mellitus is the prototype of an ambulatory care–sensitive condition because its management relies heavily on outpatient services, and hospital admissions for hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia are generally preventable in patients receiving good ambulatory care.