Diabetes management at the grass-root level without gatekeeping: exploring the association between primary care seeking and health outcomes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In countries without a gatekeeping system, including China, promoting primary healthcare (PHC) utilization can improve system efficiency and reduce healthcare burden. However, evidence on diabetes patients' PHC utilization and its impact on health outcomes remains limited. This study employs continuity of care (COC) to examine care-seeking behavior at PHC institutions in China and assess its association with clinical outcomes and healthcare costs.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study in Yuhuan, Zhejiang Province, China, including 3,672 patients newly diagnosed with diabetes between 2016 and 2019. Data from chronic disease management records, follow-up service records, and electronic medical records from 2020 to 2023 were linked. COC was assessed from

SUBMITTER: Sun J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12595799 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature