Social Determinants of Health in Diabetes Patient Care

Abstract

Diabetic patients must exert continuous self-management in areas such as diet, exercise, and medications to control blood sugar. However, such habits are greatly influenced by lifestyle; socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental conditions; as well as individual will. In vulnerable groups, the prevalence of diabetes is higher than in non-vulnerable groups, and difficulties in diabetes management are more common. Health is impacted by age; gender; genetics; lifestyle; social and community networks; living and working conditions; and socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental conditions. Among these various factors, five ‘social determinants of health’ highly affect the health management of diabetic patients: socioeconomic status, physical environment (housing environment, transportation), food insecurity, family and social support, and health literacy. It is important address these social determinants of health, starting with identification of individualized social needs of patients. Efforts should be made to improve quality of life through use of community resources and to further contribute to alleviating health inequality.

Topic Modeling Analysis of Diabetes-Related Health Information during the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic

“…The American Diabetes Association and the Johns Hopkins Patient Guide to Diabetes provide COVID-19-related information to patients with diabetes through their own websites [33,34] in efforts to reduce anxiety about emerging infectious disease among patients with diabetes [31]. However, patients with diabetes in Republic of Korea faced many limitations in obtaining relevant information from healthcare professionals during this pandemic [5], and as a result, they may have attempted to obtain COVID-19-related information through easily accessible online communities [35,36].…”

“…During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health centers and public hospitals responsible for providing healthcare to patients with diabetes were designated as COVID-19 hub hospitals. Consequently, patients with diabetes faced difficulties with adherence to medication and participation in consultation and diabetes education sessions, due to the financial burden of having to use private hospitals [ 5 ]. Moreover, delayed diagnosis of diabetes caused a delay in active management and was conducive to the onset of complications.…”