Diabetes

CURRENT RESEARCH: DIABETES IN THE U.S.

DELIVERING INFORMATION TO PATIENTS

Research from Julia F. Hastings, associate professor of Health Policy, Management and Behavior, explores ways to improve self-management of Type II diabetes among African Americans. Her recent findings from a national online survey of African Americans diagnosed with comorbid depression and diabetes show that receiving health information in person is preferred over written form or electronic means. In today’s increasingly digital world, this research provides insight into how person-centered information distribution from medical professionals may increase connection and understanding between providers and patients— ultimately affecting quality of life.

“African American Type II diabetics may increase adherence to a health regimen that ultimately improves health outcomes if health information is offered in a manner that builds trust in the provision of health care and capitalizes on the belief that the medical professional keeps their best interests in mind,” Hastings explains.

PROPOSING NEW PARADIGMS FOR DISEASE MANAGEMENT

In a new book chapter of New Frontiers in Population Aging and Mental Health: Mexico and the United States, Elizabeth Vásquez, associate professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, recently proposed a new paradigm for how diabetes might be defined and managed for high-risk populations and emphasized compelling evidence that suggests certain Latino populations are particularly vulnerable to diabetes-associated cognitive complications. This work is critically important as Type II diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death globally and results in costly, long-term conditions with significant social and economic consequences, as well.