Does Lower Diabetes-Related Numeracy Lead to Increased Risk for Hypoglycemic Events?
Authors: Urmimala Sarkar
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2008)

Letters21 October 2008Does Lower Diabetes-Related Numeracy Lead to Increased Risk for Hypoglycemic Events?Urmimala Sarkar, MD, MPH and Dean Schillinger, MDUrmimala Sarkar, MD, MPHFrom University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143. and Dean Schillinger, MDFrom University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-149-8-200810210-00018 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:In reviewing the findings of Cavanaugh and colleagues (1), we were impressed that the association between low numeracy and poor glycemic control seemed much stronger among insulin users than among persons taking oral medications. In addition, their finding that insulin users with low numeracy were less likely than those with high numeracy to self-adjust insulin dosage and count carbohydrates provides a possible mechanism. This would suggest that not only does numeracy affect quality, it may also have important implications for patient safety. Hypoglycemia relating to insulin use is a leading cause of adverse drug events resulting in ...References1. Cavanaugh K, Huizinga MM, Wallston KA, Gebretsadik T, Shintani A, Davis D, et al. Association of numeracy and diabetes control. Ann Intern Med. 2008;148:737-46. [PMID: 18490687] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Budnitz DS, Shehab N, Kegler SR, Richards CL. Medication use leading to emergency department visits for adverse drug events in older adults. Ann Intern Med. 2007;147:755-65. [PMID: 18056659] LinkGoogle Scholar3. Sarkar U, Karter A, Adler N, Liu J, Moffet H, Schillinger D. Limited health literacy is associated with increased risk of hypoglycemia among insured, type 2 diabetes patients: the Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE) [Abstract]. J Gen Intern Med. 2008;23 suppl 2 338. Google Scholar4. Sarkar U, Handley MA, Gupta R, Tang A, Murphy E, Seligman HK, et al. Use of an interactive, telephone-based self-management support program to identify adverse events among ambulatory diabetes patients. J Gen Intern Med. 2008;23:459-65. [PMID: 18373145] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoAssociation of Numeracy and Diabetes Control Kerri Cavanaugh , Mary Margaret Huizinga , Kenneth A. Wallston , Tebeb Gebretsadik , Ayumi Shintani , Dianne Davis , Rebecca Pratt Gregory , Lynn Fuchs , Robb Malone , Andrea Cherrington , Michael Pignone , Darren A. DeWalt , Tom A. Elasy , and Russell L. Rothman Does Lower Diabetes-Related Numeracy Lead to Increased Risk for Hypoglycemic Events? Kerri Cavanaugh and Russell L. Rothman Metrics Cited BySelf-efficacy in diabetic care and occurrence of adverse events in an ambulatory settingDiabetessykepleiere i Norge sine oppfatninger av pasienters «health literacy»Diabète et autosurveillance glycémiquePredicting severe hypoglycemia in the community: a review of recent evidencePoor Numeracy: The Elephant in the Diabetes Technology RoomSelf-Efficacy Links Health Literacy and Numeracy to Glycemic ControlDeterminants of Severe Hypoglycemia Complicating Type 2 Diabetes: The Fremantle Diabetes Study 21 October 2008Volume 149, Issue 8Page: 594KeywordsAdverse reactionsCarbohydratesConflicts of interestHypoglycemiaHypoglycemicsInsulinLiteracyNumeracySafety ePublished: 21 October 2008 Issue Published: 21 October 2008 CopyrightCopyright © 2008 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...