Objective
SNF is proposing the collection of population health data at a total of 76 T1D Clinics (29 in Uganda, 1 in Ghana and 46 in Kenya). The SDoH attributes which among others, include economic stability, education, physical environment, community context, social support, housing and transportation will form the backbone of the population health data gathered and analyzed with the objective of identifying areas where clinical performance is suboptimal and understanding the drivers of these suboptimal outcomes.
Expected Output: SNF will compile these analyses into evidence-based insights, analytics and published research so as to illustrate the paramount importance of addressing SDoH as part of the Standard of Care.
Background Rationale
Type 1 diabetes creates a grim reality for those living with the condition, particularly those from low-income households in Africa. Mortality is still very high due to several factors such as lack of secure access to medical supplies and the unaddressed social determinants of health that surround afflicted populations. Since inception, the Sonia Nabeta Foundation (SNF) has collected population health data in excel format on the children, adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes that it serves in an attempt to understand the barriers to good health outcomes. Data revealed for example that in Northern Uganda, on average, 3 nights a week are meal-less nights for many children; average time to clinic is 5.5 hours in Uganda with the largest portion on foot; 93% of children in Uganda don’t have electricity/refrigerator for insulin storage. These are handful of critical data that illustrate that it is not enough to provide clinical care (insulin, syringe, glucometer etc.), if the child is surrounded by abject poverty, food insecurity, illiteracy and other barriers towards good clinical outcomes. It has illustrated that addressing the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) is paramount.
In order for governments and global partners to improve the standards of care, reduce health inequities, promote meaningful patient relationships with health systems, track baselines and improve health outcomes of people living with type 1 diabetes, it is important to understand these SDoH, the barriers faced by people living with type 1 diabetes and to identify areas where clinical performance is suboptimal and to understand the drivers of these suboptimal outcomes. SNF as such needs to strengthen these data into evidence-based insights and research and make a case for a global type 1 diabetes agenda that includes SDoH.
Description of Project
Since inception, the Sonia Nabeta Foundation (SNF) has collected population health data on children, adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes in an attempt to understand the barriers to good health outcomes. Data revealed for example that in Northern Uganda, on average, 3 nights a week are meal-less nights for many children; average time to clinic is 5.5 hours in Uganda with the largest portion on foot; 93% of children in Uganda don’t have electricity/refrigerator for insulin storage. These are handful of critical data that illustrate that it is not enough to provide clinical care (insulin, syringe, glucometer etc.), if the child is surrounded by abject poverty, food insecurity, illiteracy and other barriers towards good clinical outcomes. It has illustrated that addressing the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) is paramount.
In order for governments and global partners to improve the standards of care, reduce health inequities, promote meaningful patient relationships with health systems, track baselines and improve health outcomes of people living with type 1 diabetes, it is important to understand these SDoH, the barriers faced by people living with type 1 diabetes in low resource settings and to identify areas where clinical performance is suboptimal and to understand the drivers of these suboptimal outcomes. SNF as such needs to strengthen these data into evidence-based insights and research and make a case for a global type 1 diabetes agenda that includes SDoH.
SNF is proposing the collection of population health data at a total of 76 T1D Clinics (29 in Uganda, 1 in Ghana and 46 in Kenya). The SDoH attributes which among others, include economic stability, education, physical environment, community context, social support, housing and transportation will form the backbone of the population health data gathered and analyzed with the objective of identifying areas where clinical performance is suboptimal and understanding the drivers of these suboptimal outcomes.
Expected Output: SNF will compile these analyses into evidence-based insights, analytics and published research so as to illustrate the paramount importance of addressing SDoH as part of the Standard of Care.
Anticipated Outcome
In order for governments and global partners to improve the standards of care, reduce health inequities, promote meaningful patient relationships with health systems, track baselines and improve health outcomes of people living with type 1 diabetes, it is important to understand these SDoH, the barriers faced by people living with type 1 diabetes and to identify areas where clinical performance is suboptimal and to understand the drivers of these suboptimal outcomes. Project Equity will compile these analyses into evidence-based insights, analytics and published research so as to illustrate the paramount importance of addressing SDoH as part of the Standard of Care in low resource settings.
Relevance to T1D
Target population is children, adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes in Uganda, Ghana and Tanzania