Factors associated with missed eye examinations in a cohort with diabetes

Background: The diabetes screening program in Moosonee and Moose Factory, Ontario was evaluated to explore which factors may be associated with individuals who had/had not attended screening examinations for diabetic retinopathy. Methods: Exposure data were collected from patient charts for basic demographic and medical history data. The main outcome of interest was the absence of a retinal examination in the two years preceding data collection. Results: There were 248 subjects identified with diabetes who had complete data for the variables of interest. On univariate analysis, younger age and shorter duration of diabetes were significantly associated with not having an eye examination. On multivariate analysis, younger age, residence in Moosonee, and shorter duration of diabetes remained in the final model. Interpretation: Screening programs for diabetic retinopathy in the James Bay Cree should consider targeting younger individuals with diabetes of less than 5 years duration since this sub-group is not as likely to attend eye examinations.