Nearly 3 million African-Americans are estimated to be diabetic, representing 17 percent of all diabetes patients in the United States; and this figure is growing as the proportion of African-American patients diagnosed with diabetes consistently increases year to year, according to new research from GfK Market Measures’ Roper Global Diabetes Group.

A new study of the diabetes market suggests that African-American patients are being diagnosed at higher rate than other patients. According to GfK Market Measures’ Roper Global Diabetes Group’s 2007 U.S. Diabetes Patient Market Study, 14 percent of African-American diabetes patients were diagnosed with diabetes within the past 12 months compared to 8 percent of other patients. Furthermore, the Roper U.S. studies have shown that the proportion of African-American patients diagnosed in the past 12 months has consistently increased, from 8 percent in 2004 to 14 percent in 2007.

In comparing the African-American Type 2 diabetes population to the rest of the Type 2 diabetes population in the United States, the study uncovers several notable differences between the groups’ demographic, concomitant conditions and therapy profiles. In terms of age, the African-American diabetes population tends to be younger than other patients, with 73 percent under age 65 (compared with 57 percent under age 65 for other patients). It is also important to note that patients in this group are diagnosed at an earlier age – 47 vs. age 51 for other patients.

According to the research, African-American patients are more likely than other patients to suffer from most concomitant conditions that are typical of the disease. These include cardiovascular problems, reported by 83 percent of African-Americans compared with 76 percent of other patients. An additional insight is that African-American patients are significantly more likely to experience hypertension, with 69 percent reporting high blood pressure compared with 54 percent of other patients, putting them at greater risk for heart attack or stroke.

This group also reports more microvascular complications compared to other patients (83 percent vs. 78 percent). Finally, African-American patients are more likely to suffer severe weight issues, with 64 percent of patients in this group described as obese or morbidly obese compared with 58 percent of other patients.

A look at the therapy profile of African-Americans reveals they are slightly more likely to be treated for their condition compared to other patients: 27 percent of this group reports treatment with insulin compared with 24 percent of other patients. Both groups, however, are equally likely to be treated with non-insulin agents at nearly 63 percent each. Specific to insulin administration, however, notable differences again appear in the two diabetes populations. African-American patients are more likely than other patients to use disposable syringes (86 percent vs. 78 percent). Correspondingly, the usage of insulin pens is lower among this population, at 19 percent compared with 25 percent of other patients. Regarding blood glucose monitoring, similar proportions of African-Americans and other patients test for their blood sugar with nearly 87 percent of each group having tested in the past month. Notably, 9 percent of African-Americans have never self-tested compared with 4 percent of other patients.

"In the African-American patient segment, the need to educate is critical especially with regard to the relatively widespread prevalence of conditions such as obesity and high blood pressure, as is the importance of regular blood glucose monitoring," said David Jacobson, senior vice president of GfK Market Measures’ Roper Global Diabetes Group. "Like Latinos, this is a fast-growing segment and less affluent than other U.S. patients, and the relative youth of these groups may be a factor in their greater reliance on the Internet as well as on TV, family, friends and other patients for diabetes information. Overall, our research suggests African-American patients may require special marketing and communications approaches to reach them effectively."