by Lori Solomon

Food insecurity, housing insecurity, mental health concerns, and the perceived importance of practitioner concordance are associated with a lower likelihood of receiving eye care among adults with diabetes, according to a study published online Nov. 16 in JAMA Ophthalmology.

Rohith Ravindranath, from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, and colleagues evaluated associations between visiting an eye care practitioner for diabetic retinopathy screening and factors related to overall health and social determinants of health. The analysis included 11,551 adults with type 2 diabetes participating in the All of Us Research Program.

The researchers found that individuals who thought practitioner concordance was somewhat or very important were less likely to have seen an eye care practitioner (somewhat important: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.83; very important: aOR, 0.85). Individuals with food or housing insecurity were less likely to visit an eye care practitioner (food insecurity: aOR, 0.75; housing insecurity: aOR, 0.86) compared with financially stable participants. Compared with individuals who reported good mental health, those who reported fair mental health were less likely to visit an eye care practitioner (aOR, 0.84).

"Such findings highlight the self-reported barriers to seeking care and the importance of taking steps to promote health equity," the authors write.

More information: Rohith Ravindranath et al, Social Determinants of Health and Perceived Barriers to Care in Diabetic Retinopathy Screening, JAMA Ophthalmology (2023). DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2023.5287

Journal information: JAMA Ophthalmology 

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