Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity (Jan 2023)

Perspective: Acknowledging a Hierarchy of Social Needs in Diabetes Clinical Care and Prevention

  • Howell CR,
  • Harada CN,
  • Fontaine KR,
  • Mugavero MJ,
  • Cherrington AL

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 16
pp. 161 – 166

Abstract

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Carrie R Howell,1 Caroline N Harada,2 Kevin R Fontaine,3 Michael J Mugavero,4 Andrea L Cherrington1 1Department of Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; 2Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; 3Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Al, USA; 4Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USACorrespondence: Carrie R Howell, Department of Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine, Medical Towers Suite 638, 1717 11th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA, Email [email protected]: The evidence of suboptimal social determinants of health (SDoH) on poor health outcomes has resulted in widespread calls for research to identify ways to measure and address social needs to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities. While assessing SDoH has become increasingly important in diabetes care and prevention research, little guidance has been offered on how to address suboptimal determinants in diabetes-related clinical care, prevention efforts, medical education and research. Not surprisingly, many patients experience multiple social needs – some that are more urgent (housing) than others (transportation/resources), therefore the order in which these needs are addressed needs to be considered in the context of diabetes care/outcomes. Here we discuss how conceptualizing diabetes related health through the lens of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has potential to help prioritize individual social needs that should be addressed to improve outcomes in the context of population-level determinants in the communities where people live.Keywords: social determinants of health, diabetes, clinical care, clinical education

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