Diabetes and Hospitalizations Among Mexican Americans Aged 75 Years and Older

Objective: To examine factors associated with hospitalization among Mexican Americans aged 75 years and older with diabetes (with and without complications) and without diabetes over 12 years of follow up. Methods: Participants (N = 1454) were from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (2004/2005-2016) residing in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. Measures included socio-demographics, medical conditions, falls, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, disability, physician visits, and hospitalizations. Participants were categorized as no diabetes (N = 1028), diabetes without complications (N = 180), and diabetes with complications (N = 246). Results: Participants with diabetes and complications had greater odds ratio (1.56, 95% Confidence Interval = 1.23-1.98) over time of being admitted to the hospital in the prior year versus those without diabetes. Participants with diabetes had greater odds of hospitalization if they had heart failure, falls, amputation, and insulin treatment. Conclusions: In Mexican American older adults, diabetes and diabetes-related complications increased the risk of hospitalization.