Louisiana Healthcare Connections Research Finds Unmet Needs Affect Diabetes Distress
Date: 09/26/23
Baton Rouge, La.
Five-Year Study Uncovers Additional Impacts
Millions of Americans with diabetes dedicate time and effort every day to managing their medical condition. Now, new research from Louisiana Healthcare Connections, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, shows that non-medical social needs, alongside medical factors like blood glucose, increase the risk for diabetic distress, or a patient’s concerns about self-management of diabetes.
A five-year study of 500 Louisiana Healthcare Connections members with diabetes found a significant correlation between unmet needs and negative health outcomes of members with Type 2 diabetes. Researchers found that depression, low confidence in the ability to manage diabetes, and unmet social needs, such as housing or nutrition insecurity, are also associated with greater odds of having diabetes distress, alongside medically related predictors like insulin use or hypoglycemia. These factors can negatively affect chronic disease management, leading to worse complications among marginalized populations.
The randomized control trial of 500 Louisiana Healthcare Connections members with Type 2 diabetes not currently involved in case management examined the impact of social needs on distress on its own and after controlling for other socio-demographic, psychosocial, and health factors.
“We found that having more unmet social needs was associated with having more diabetes distress,” notes Dr. Dana Lawson with Louisiana Healthcare Connections. “Diabetes distress has been associated with poorer health outcomes, so it’s important to uncover these non-medical indicators and develop strategies to address them in addition to traditional medical care.”
Of the members studied, 35.5% reported moderate to severe diabetes distress. This mirrors prior studies showing approximately 33–50% of people living with diabetes experience distress. Efforts to reduce distress have been shown to have short-term improvements in health outcomes. Results from this study suggest that helping people reduce their A1c levels, relieve depression symptoms, and increase confidence in managing diabetes will also reduce diabetes distress.
“Studies have found that the more unmet needs you have, the less likely you are to follow through with a self-management regimen and be thinking about future needs,” says CEO and Plan President, Jamie Schlottman. “This is why Louisiana Healthcare Connections works every day to identify and address unmet health needs by removing barriers and reducing health disparities to improve health outcomes for Louisiana families.”
The study was funded through a grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NDDK) to Washington University in St. Louis led by Dr. Amy McQueen in conjunction with Dr. Dana Lawson, Senior Vice President of Population Health and Clinical Operations, Darrell Broussard, Lead Data Analyst, and Rachel Smith, Senior Manager of Case Management from Louisiana Healthcare Connections.
For more information, please see the complete study published in the Journal of Diabetes.
###
About Louisiana Healthcare Connections
A Medicaid health plan serving the Louisiana Department of Health, Louisiana Healthcare Connections was established in 2011 to provide the best benefits and programs possible to improve the overall health of the families and communities we serve. We focus on identifying and removing institutional barriers to good health with sustainable solutions that reduce health disparities and create health equity. Through a family of engaged employees, dedicated providers, and diverse community partners, we deliver care for the health of all with Medicaid Made Personal. Louisiana Healthcare Connections is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation. For more information, visit www.louisianahealthconnect.com.