Where diabetes treatment is concerned, what constitutes good "quality of care"? In a new article for Health Expectations, Center Faculty Associate Onyebuchi Arah and other researchers explored which of the myriad types of examinations given to diabetes patients contributes to a better patient experience overall.

In a study of nearly 3,100 diabetes patients, participants reported receiving better care if they received eye and foot examinations, physical activity advice, smoking status check, and HbA(1c) testing, a blood test that shows if a person's diabetes is under control. However, nutritional advice, urine, cholesterol or blood pressure checks mattered less when patients were asked to rate quality of care. In particular, those who received HbA (1c) testing rated their overall care 1 point higher on a scale of 0–10 than those who did not.

This article was early released in 2011 and published in Dec. 2013.