Social determinants of health (SDH) influence glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes, according to a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics. The researchers had the objective to study the relationship between  SDH and the control of blood glucose in a population of child patients with type 1 diabetes.

What is a social determinant of health?

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, a social determinant of health (SDH) influence the health of populations. These determinants include:

• Social support networks
• Social status
• Education
• Employment conditions
• Personal health practices and coping skills
• Physical and social environments
• Gender
• Culture
• Healthy child development

The Setup

Deprivation, measured as deprivation index (DI), was used to find measures of family structure, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status in patients with type 1 diabetes. The DI scores were determined for patients based on postal codes and related to glycemic control levels. The estimations were controlled for age and sex.

The Findings

The results showed that the A1C levels (a measure of blood glucose control) were correlated to the degree of deprivation. In other words, patients with suboptimal A1C levels had the greatest degree of deprivation in the material and social DI. Under healthy, diabetes-free conditions, A1C levels are below 5.7 percent.

Health is not only based on what we eat and our level of activity; social and environmental factors also have a role. Social determinants of health are an important measure that can help understand social trends and how the affect overall health.