Type 2 diabetes mellitus disproportionately affects marginalized and low-income groups. Unmet social needs can lead to poor health outcomes as it relates to diabetes. The following proposal aims to explore if the addition of a Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) screening tool adapted for use in adults with type 2 diabetes to standard diabetes care can improve the specific health outcomes of HbA1c, body weight, and perceived quality of life. A quasi-experimental quality improvement project was designed to be conducted at two large Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. All participants would receive the intervention of the adapted screening and standardized data collection at a baseline appointment with follow up every 3 months until 12-months post intervention. Goals relating to participant-level outcomes would include the relative reduction of HbA1c and body weight as well as the improvement of perceived quality of life. This project would serve as a call for larger and more complex studies of the implications of treating diabetes through an equity lens as well as further support the need for quality social services.
