Women With Diabetes Less Likely to Receive Preventive Care

A UCLA-led study published on April 3, 2026, indicates that physicians are less likely to provide essential preventive care and cancer screenings to women with diabetes than to women without the condition.

The research suggests that healthcare providers frequently overlook routine well-woman services for patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), which increases the risk of preventable medical conditions, including pregnancy complications.

Analysis of Preventive Care Gaps

The findings, published in the peer-reviewed Journal of General Internal Medicine, resulted from a detailed analysis of 44 studies selected from thousands of records. The researchers focused on women between the ages of 15 and 49 who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, excluding those with gestational diabetes or diabetes insipidus.

The study specifically examined four categories of preventive health services:

• Pre-conception counseling
• Contraceptive counseling and use
• Breast and cervical cancer screening
• Screening for sexually transmitted infections

Senior author Lauren Wisk, an associate professor of medicine in the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, emphasized the necessity of these services for overall health management.

These findings are important because they identify that women with diabetes are not receiving recommended well-woman care, which is essential to support both managing their diabetes and their overall health

Lauren Wisk

Wisk further noted that providers need to be aware that they should not forget to provide these essential services for women with diabetes.

Associated Health Risks and Barriers

Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality from several conditions, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, periodontal diseases, and eye conditions. It also increases vulnerability to influenza and pneumococcal infections, as well as several types of cancers.

Research indicates that having a chronic disease may act as a barrier to receiving recommended preventive care. What we have is particularly evident among vulnerable populations. Women with diabetes who are nonwhite or living in poverty are less likely to receive pneumococcal vaccinations compared to white and more affluent women.

Educational levels and age also play a role in the quality of care received. Data shows that women with low educational levels and those aged 45 or younger are among the least likely to receive recommended diabetes-specific preventive services.

Certain screenings show significant gaps based on age. Women with diabetes are less likely to receive Pap smears than women without the disease, with those aged 65 and older being the most vulnerable to missing this screening.

Improving Clinical Outcomes

The evidence suggests that the current approach to treating women with diabetes often fails to address their unique needs across different life stages. To address these disparities, researchers advocate for the design of interventions that specifically target the most vulnerable groups, including those at the extremes of the life cycle and those with limited financial or educational resources.

Implementing a life stage approach to healthcare is recommended to ensure that the presence of a chronic condition does not result in the omission of essential preventive screenings and counseling.