A study of lower extremity amputation rates in older diabetic South Carolinians.

Several studies have shown that lower extremity non-traumatic amputations for diabetic patients disproportionately affect senior minorities. Our study uses population and Medicare data from the year 2000 to profile the magnitude of this disparity by county in South Carolina and its relation to race, gender, per capita income, and the number of primary care physicians. Data from 1998-2001 is used to investigate trends in amputation rates for the state as a whole and for individual counties.