Diabetes Drugs

Sept. 26 - Oct. 2

The “Diabetes Drugs” graphic ran in the online version of USA Today on September 27. The graphic credits Anne Godlasky of USA Today and says the information for the graphic comes from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

One of the strengths of this information graphic is its simplicity. The line chart is easy to understand and follow. The percentages on the left of the graphic are in increments of 10, which make it easy to read. The years at the bottom show 1997 on the left and 2007 on the right without trying to pinpoint a percentage for each year. Doing that would have made this graphic more difficult to understand. One of the weaknesses in this graphic is that each diabetes drug is given a different shade of pink, but the shades are close enough that it’s difficult to determine which shaded line goes with which shaded drug at the top of the graphic. Different colors all together would have made it easier to identify on the line chart.

Three types of diabetes drugs are given three different shades of pink in this information graphic. Each shade is then used as a line on a chart to show a rise or fall in prescription from 1997 to 2007. The graph is trying to show viewers that the drug Sulfonylureas, which used to be the mostly widely-prescribed diabetes drug, is now on the decline. The graph also shows that the other two commonly-prescribed diabetes drugs, Biguarides and Thiazolidinediones, are being prescribed more frequently now than they were 10 years ago.

A few explanations as to where these numbers came from would enhance this graphic. Where did the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality get these percentages? Did they ask doctors or patients or pharmicists? How many? Which ones? This could make a big difference in how accurate those statistics are in the graphic.

Anybody who is diabetic would look twice at this graphic because they have a vested interest. Doctors and others in the medical field would be interested in this information as well because it might signify new information that could impact their decisions. However, without knowing HOW these percentages were measured or sampled, the medical field should view them critically and not assume it’s fact and that all doctors should be prescribing these other types of drugs more often.

The simple design of the line chart is an effective presentation of the numbers. It’s easy to understand the key concepts without overwhelming viewers with too many numbers or variables. Different colors for each drug would make the graphic easier to understand at a glance without having to stare at three shades of pink trying to determine which is which.