Younger patients with diabetes more often skipping visits

(HealthDay)—One in every five young American adults with diabetes hasn't seen a doctor in the past six months, according to a February data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.

Researchers at the CDC looked at 2013 government health data on 3,589 adults with diabetes. They found that adherence to care recommendations rose with age: 81.1 percent of people aged 18 to 39 had seen a health care professional over the past six months, compared to 88.9 percent of those aged 40 to 64, and 93.3 percent of those aged 65 or older.

Young patients were much less likely to have consulted with either an eye or foot doctor over the past year, compared to older patients. The researchers also found that the number of patients taking a diabetes medication rose with age—from about 71 percent of those aged 18 to 39, to 86.5 percent of those over 65.

"Ongoing medical care is recommended for persons of any age who have diabetes in order to manage levels of glucose, obtain preventive care services, and treat diabetes-related complications," the authors write.