Ethnic and health correlates of diabetes-related amputations at the Texas-Mexico border

objective: to examine the association between diabetes-related lower-extremity amputation (lea) and ethnicity, age, source of payment, geographic location, diabetes severity, and health condition in adults with diabetes mellitus type 2 living in border and non-border counties in texas, united states of america, and to assess intra-border region geographic differences in post-lea treatment. methods: this correlational study was based on secondary data from the 2003 texas inpatient hospital discharge data. the sample consisted of individuals 45 years of age and older with type 2 diabetes who had undergone a nontraumatic lea (n = 5 865). descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were applied. results: the following characteristics were predictors of lea: being hispanic or african american, male, > 55 years old, and a medicare or medicaid user, and living in a border county. persons with moderate diabetes and those who suffered from cardiovascular disease or stroke also had higher odds of undergoing an lea. post-lea occupational therapy was significantly less prevalent among border residents (9.5%) than non-border residents (15.3%) (p < 0.001). conclusion: understanding the factors that influence diabetes-related lea may lead to early detection and effective treatment of this disabling consequence of diabetes along the u.s.-mexico border.