Low-income diabetes patients suffer from not only the depression of poverty, but also the psychological burden of diabetes. Such patients rarely receive family or social support regarding diabetes selfmanagement. In addition, the cost of diabetes management is gradually increasing based on the associated complications. For such reasons, low-income diabetes patients have a higher death rate compared to general patients. To improve the survival of such patients, it is important to understand their physical, psycho-social, and economic states and to provide individualized social welfare information related to self-management. The most important factors in increased survival are an environment that allows active self-management and provision of community resources that help foster independent life.
Depression ; Humans ; Mortality ; Poverty ; Self Care ; Social Welfare*

Qualitative research methodology has become more recognized and valued in diabetes behavioral research in recent years. Qualitative research is very rare in Korea, especially for diabetes; on the other hand, qualitative research is increasing abroad. This paper reviews qualitative research on the life experiences of diabetes patients in Korea. Drawing on advanced research, it is helpful to know the essence of such experiences and the exact phenomena diabetes patients face as revealed in their own voices. Also, understanding of and interest in the subjective experiences of diabetes patients will inform the development of new intervention methods.
Behavioral Research ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Hand ; Humans ; Korea* ; Life Change Events* ; Qualitative Research* ; Voice

Patients with diabetes who experience a stroke can face sudden physical and mental changes after the stroke occurs. Also, these changes not only aggravate from the family feeling of responsibility for care burden to patient, but also affect the patient's blood sugar control. The social welfare approach to this disease-related issue, psychosocial issue, economic issue and rehabilitation issue is for the diabetic patient with stroke to improve their self management ability, and to ultimately lead to integrated health management and a healthy life.
Blood Glucose ; Humans ; Self Care ; Social Welfare ; Stroke

With the increase in the elderly population, the number of elderly diabetics is also increasing rapidly. To educate older people with diabetes, we need to understand their characteristics and those of their main caregiver, establish careful and individualized treatment goals, and provide concrete and practical education. Diabetes educators should provide comprehensive geriatric assessment, personalized diabetes education through psychosocial assessment, practical guidance, family education, self-management skills for elderly diabetic patients and caregivers. Diabetes educators should keep in mind to consider elderly diabetic patients can support family or social resources to continue self-management.
Aged ; Caregivers ; Education ; Geriatric Assessment ; Humans ; Self Care

Diabetic patients must exert continuous self-management in areas such as diet, exercise, and medications to control blood sugar. However, such habits are greatly influenced by lifestyle; socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental conditions; as well as individual will. In vulnerable groups, the prevalence of diabetes is higher than in non-vulnerable groups, and difficulties in diabetes management are more common. Health is impacted by age; gender; genetics; lifestyle; social and community networks; living and working conditions; and socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental conditions. Among these various factors, five ‘social determinants of health’ highly affect the health management of diabetic patients: socioeconomic status, physical environment (housing environment, transportation), food insecurity, family and social support, and health literacy. It is important address these social determinants of health, starting with identification of individualized social needs of patients. Efforts should be made to improve quality of life through use of community resources and to further contribute to alleviating health inequality.

Though the role of the family is important in diabetes management, the increase in one-person household is complicating this role. Therefore, we divided diabetes patients who lived alone with overall health vulnerability into age groups to understand their lives and seek educational methods that can help them. Young one-person household diabetes patients suffered greatly from anxiety and depression about the future, while patients who managed well accurately understood information about their health and tried to manage it on their own. Middle-aged one-person household diabetes patients who were men had greater difficulty preparing meals, while women had greater anxiety about worsening health, but they tried to improve their lifestyle habits to look after their health and become independent. Elderly one-person household diabetes patients had great difficulty living independently due to old age and needed help with diabetes care. This study aimed to understand the lives of one-person household diabetes patients and learn about their experiences with self-management. Based on this, diabetes educators should pay attention to the personal and environmental factors of patients and strive to provide customized education. They should also identify and connect to various resources available in the community.

Though the role of the family is important in diabetes management, the increase in one-person household is complicating this role. Therefore, we divided diabetes patients who lived alone with overall health vulnerability into age groups to understand their lives and seek educational methods that can help them. Young one-person household diabetes patients suffered greatly from anxiety and depression about the future, while patients who managed well accurately understood information about their health and tried to manage it on their own. Middle-aged one-person household diabetes patients who were men had greater difficulty preparing meals, while women had greater anxiety about worsening health, but they tried to improve their lifestyle habits to look after their health and become independent. Elderly one-person household diabetes patients had great difficulty living independently due to old age and needed help with diabetes care. This study aimed to understand the lives of one-person household diabetes patients and learn about their experiences with self-management. Based on this, diabetes educators should pay attention to the personal and environmental factors of patients and strive to provide customized education. They should also identify and connect to various resources available in the community.

Though the role of the family is important in diabetes management, the increase in one-person household is complicating this role. Therefore, we divided diabetes patients who lived alone with overall health vulnerability into age groups to understand their lives and seek educational methods that can help them. Young one-person household diabetes patients suffered greatly from anxiety and depression about the future, while patients who managed well accurately understood information about their health and tried to manage it on their own. Middle-aged one-person household diabetes patients who were men had greater difficulty preparing meals, while women had greater anxiety about worsening health, but they tried to improve their lifestyle habits to look after their health and become independent. Elderly one-person household diabetes patients had great difficulty living independently due to old age and needed help with diabetes care. This study aimed to understand the lives of one-person household diabetes patients and learn about their experiences with self-management. Based on this, diabetes educators should pay attention to the personal and environmental factors of patients and strive to provide customized education. They should also identify and connect to various resources available in the community.

Though the role of the family is important in diabetes management, the increase in one-person household is complicating this role. Therefore, we divided diabetes patients who lived alone with overall health vulnerability into age groups to understand their lives and seek educational methods that can help them. Young one-person household diabetes patients suffered greatly from anxiety and depression about the future, while patients who managed well accurately understood information about their health and tried to manage it on their own. Middle-aged one-person household diabetes patients who were men had greater difficulty preparing meals, while women had greater anxiety about worsening health, but they tried to improve their lifestyle habits to look after their health and become independent. Elderly one-person household diabetes patients had great difficulty living independently due to old age and needed help with diabetes care. This study aimed to understand the lives of one-person household diabetes patients and learn about their experiences with self-management. Based on this, diabetes educators should pay attention to the personal and environmental factors of patients and strive to provide customized education. They should also identify and connect to various resources available in the community.

Though the role of the family is important in diabetes management, the increase in one-person household is complicating this role. Therefore, we divided diabetes patients who lived alone with overall health vulnerability into age groups to understand their lives and seek educational methods that can help them. Young one-person household diabetes patients suffered greatly from anxiety and depression about the future, while patients who managed well accurately understood information about their health and tried to manage it on their own. Middle-aged one-person household diabetes patients who were men had greater difficulty preparing meals, while women had greater anxiety about worsening health, but they tried to improve their lifestyle habits to look after their health and become independent. Elderly one-person household diabetes patients had great difficulty living independently due to old age and needed help with diabetes care. This study aimed to understand the lives of one-person household diabetes patients and learn about their experiences with self-management. Based on this, diabetes educators should pay attention to the personal and environmental factors of patients and strive to provide customized education. They should also identify and connect to various resources available in the community.