New Findings from Federal University of Sao Paulo in the Area of Diabetic Retinopathy Published (Diabetic retinopathy screening and treatment through the Brazilian National Health Insurance): Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases and Conditions – Diabetic Retinopathy

2022 SEP 05 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health & Medicine Business Daily -- A new study on diabetic retinopathy is now available. According to news originating from Federal University of Sao Paulo by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “The current study aimed to investigate diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening and treatment coverages among diabetic patients evaluated through the Brazilian National Health Insurance from 2014 to 2019.”

Our news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Federal University of Sao Paulo: “The Brazilian Public Health System Information Database was used as the primary data source. DR screening coverage was calculated as the rate of procedures of clinical dilated fundus exam and color fundus photograph over the number of diabetic patients. DR treatment coverage was calculated as the rate of procedures of intravitreal injection, photocoagulation, and panretinal photocoagulation over the number of diabetic patients presumably in need of DR treatment. The overall screening coverage increased from 12.1% in 2014 to 21.2% in 2019 (p < 0.001) with substantial regional discrepancies so that North region was the only one with no changes along the period. The overall treatment coverage increased from 27.7% in 2014 to 44.1% in 2019, with Southeast and Midwest absorbing the demand for service from the North, Northeast and South. Despite an improvement along the past years, both screening and treatment coverages for DR in diabetes patients are ineffective in Brazil.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Public health policies should address resources disparities throughout the country aiming to offer same healthcare conditions to patients regardless their geographic location.”

For more information on this research see: Diabetic retinopathy screening and treatment through the Brazilian National Health Insurance. Scientific Reports, 2022,12(1):1-7. (Scientific Reports - http://www.nature.com/srep/index.html). The publisher for Scientific Reports is Nature Portfolio.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18054-6.

Our news journalists report that more information may be obtained by contacting Arthur Gustavo Fernandes, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Paulista Medical School, Federal University of Sao Paulo. Additional authors for this research include Aline Nunes Ferraz, Rodrigo Brant, Fernando Korn Malerbi.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)