Timing of access to secondary healthcare services for diabetes management and lower extremity amputation in people with diabetes: a protocol of a case-control study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Lower extremity amputation (LEA) is a complication of diabetes and a marker of the quality of diabetes care. Clinical and sociodemographic determinants of LEA in people with diabetes are well known. However, the role of service-related factors has been less well explored. Early referral to secondary healthcare is assumed to prevent the occurrence of LEA. The objective of this study is to investigate a possible association between the timing of patient access to secondary healthcare services for diabetes management, as a key marker of service-related factors, and LEA in patients with diabetes.

Methods/design

This is a case-control study. The source population is people with diabetes. Cases will be people with diabetes who have undergone a first major LEA, identifie

SUBMITTER: Buckley CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3816241 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature