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Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between food insecurity and physical- and mental-health-related quality of life in adults with diabetes. Methods: Using two years of national Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data (2016–2017), we investigated the relationship between food insecurity and physical-health-related (PCS) and mental-health-related (MCS) quality of life in adults with diabetes. PCS and MCS were measured with the Short-Form 12 health survey and food insecurity was measured with the USDA 10-item adult scale. Analyses were weighted to represent the US adult population. Adjusted linear regression models, including covariates of age, gender, education, race/ethnicity, marital status, region, poverty level, employment status, health insurance, and comorbidities were used. Results: After adjustment, food-insecure adults with diabetes maintained significantly lower quality of life compared to food-secure adults with diabetes (PCS: −3.44, 95%CI −4.63, −2.25; MCS: −5.37, 95%CI −6.68, −4.06). This drop in PCS was larger than the drop for chronic conditions, including arthritis (−3.77, 95%CI −5.02, −2.52), emphysema (−2.82, 95%CI −5.12, −0.53), stroke (−2.63, 95%CI −4.11, −1.15), cancer (−2.59, 95%CI −4.00, −1.17), and heart attack (2.58, 95%CI 4.68, 0.48). Similarly, the drop for MCS was larger than for chronic pain (−2.37, 95%CI −3.24, −1.50) and arthritis (−1.31, 95%CI −2.28, −0.33). Conclusions: Food insecurity was associated with a significant reduction in both physical- and mental-health-related quality of life in adults with diabetes, with a magnitude of effect greater than adjusted estimates for the drop in quality of life for key chronic conditions. Addressing food insecurity through integration of social and medical care may lead to improvements in quality of life for adults with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Health literacy is an important social determinant of health, with limited health literacy associated with worse health outcomes. This study examined the associations between limited health literacy with patient‐reported outcomes and disease activity/damage among 267 Black women with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) enrolled in the Peer Approaches to Lupus Self‐Management (PALS) program. Methods: The three‐item Chew Health Literacy Screening was used to dichotomize those reporting in the "limited" range on any item with outcomes compared via generalized linear models. Baseline surveys and assessments obtained at study entry as part of the PALS study were used. Primary outcomes included disease activity and lupus damage; other secondary outcomes included patient activation, self‐efficacy, physician/patient communication, and quality of life. Results: The study included 267 Black women with SLE. In covariate‐adjusted analyses, participants with limited health literacy (88 [33%]) were more likely to have lower patient activation (Patient Activation Measure P < 0.0001), lower self‐efficacy (Lupus Self‐Efficacy P < 0.0001), higher lupus damage (self‐administered Brief Index of Lupus Damage P =.016), higher disease activity (Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire symptom severity P = 0.006), and worse physician/patient communication (patient‐centered care P < 0.0001) compared to those with adequate health literacy. Those with limited health literacy also reported worse lupus quality of life (P = 0.0004) and greater levels of stress (Perceived Stress Scale‐4 P < 0.0001) and were 2.4 times more likely to have probable major depression (Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale‐8 of ≥10 P = 0.004) and probable anxiety disorder (General Anxiety Disorder‐7 of ≥10 P = 0.007) compared to those with adequate health literacy. Conclusion: Black women with SLE and limited health literacy have worse clinical outcomes and represent a particularly vulnerable population with significantly disparate health outcomes. These findings suggest health literacy and complexities of managing SLE may impair clinical care in multiple domains, ultimately contributing to higher disease activity and death/damage, and are important to address in clinical care and future interventions in patients with SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Approximately 11.3% of the US population has diabetes. The burden of diabetes is higher in older adults and African Americans (AAs), such that 40% of adults aged 50 years and older have diabetes; African Americans are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes compared to non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). Structural racism has resulted in fewer economic and educational opportunities for AAs, higher social risks, and unmet basic needs, which result in financial instability, housing instability, food insecurity, and a lack of transportation compared to NHWs. The presence of these unmet basic needs is a driver of poor adherence to diabetes self-management in older AAs. Aim: To test the preliminary efficacy of a nurse case-manager, telephone-delivered intervention that provides foundational diabetes self-management education and skills training, while also addressing and resolving the unmet social needs of older AAs with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The primary hypothesis is that older AAs with T2DM randomized to the DM Social Needs intervention will have significantly lower hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), blood pressure, and LDL levels compared to the usual care arm at 6 months post randomization. Methods: This is a three-year prospective, randomized clinical trial that will enroll 100 AAs aged 50 and older with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and HbA1C ≥ 8% into one of the following two groups: (1) a nurse case-manager, telephone-delivered intervention that provides foundational diabetes self-management education and skills training, but also addresses and resolves unmet social needs; or (2) an enhanced usual care group that will receive mailed diabetes education materials. Participants will be followed for 6 months to determine the effect of the intervention on HbA1C, blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. Results: Baseline characteristics will be presented by study group, and within- and between-group changes in primary outcomes from baseline to 6 months will be reported. Conclusion: The results from this study will provide insights into the efficacy of a combined diabetes education and skills training and social needs resolution intervention for older African Americans with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes and will inform strategies to improve diabetes outcomes for this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed gender differences in the relationship between mortality and social support, strain, and affectual solidarity received from family, friends and spouses. Data of 6259 adults from the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) survey were analyzed. Cox proportional hazards were used to assess relationships between mortality and support, strain, and affectual solidarity and whether the associations varied by gender. Support from family, friends, and spouses/partners and friend affectual solidarity were associated with lower mortality in the total sample. Friend strain was associated with higher mortality in the total sample. Family support and family, friend, and spouse affectual solidarity were associated with lower mortality in women. Friend and spouse strain were associated with a higher mortality for women. Support from friends, family and spouse are beneficial for reducing mortality in men and women. Friend and spouse strain are targets for minimizing mortality risk in women., Author(s): Anna Uhing [sup.1] , Joni S. Williams [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] , Emma Garacci [sup.1] [sup.2] , Leonard E. Egede [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.30760.32, 0000 0001 2111 [...]