Is marital status a determinant of self-monitoring of blood glucose

Glycemic control is one of the most important aspects of diabetes management and is necessary for the prevention or delay of complications associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is a technique used achieve glycemic control by revealing day-to-day changes in blood glucose levels. Since marriage protective effects have been shown for mortality, especially for men, it is useful to determine whether a similar relationship is found between marriage and SMBG. The purpose of this study is to examine whether marital status is a determinant of SMBG, when controlling for other variables, and whether marital status determines SMBG differently for males and females.;Demographic data were obtained from 465 individuals who self-reported a diagnosis of DM in the continuous NHANES 2009-2010, along with data about treatment, condition, and self-management practices. Using logistic regressions, significant predictors were identified for SMBG.;One-third (36%) of adults with diabetes in the U.S. population do not self-monitor their blood glucose level at least 1 time/day. A minority (29.5%) of females who are not married do not self-monitor daily, while this is true for nearly half (47.6%) of males who are not married. Insulin use is the major determinant for SMBG, along with age, race/ethnicity, and patient DM education. Marital status was found to be a significant predictor for SMBG among males, only when insulin and pills use were not included in the regression. Marital status was not identified as a significant predictor of SMBG for females.;Although marital status is independently associated with reduced mortality, a similar protective relationship is not shown between marital status and SMBG. Since SMBG may be a useful in the achievement of glycemic control, individuals with diabetes should incorporate this practice into their regimens for diabetes self-management.