Ethnic Dis
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Patients with diabetes presenting to safety-net emergency departments (ED) represent an at-risk population with limited resources and significant medical and social needs. We conducted a needs assessment of this group evaluating its demographic composition, health status, attitudes and beliefs about diabetes self-care and utilization of health maintenance services. We hypothesized that decreased self-efficacy and primary care use would correlate with higher glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C). ⋯ In this study of largely Latino patients seen in an urban county ED, we observed extremely poor glycemic control, low diabetes-specific knowledge, high rates of major and severe major depression, low self-efficacy and unacceptably low rates of primary care and preventive health service utilization.