Even with progress in diabetes treatment, just 40% of adults with the condition meet the suggested blood sugar goals, showing persistent shortcomings in care delivery. Health insurers have poured resources into enhancing diabetes management, offering broader medication access, continuous glucose monitoring tools, and technology-driven care coordination programs.
One important factor influencing diabetes management may be human connection — or the lack thereof. Nearly one in three adults reports experiencing loneliness, and one in four say they don’t have social or emotional support in their lives.
Loneliness and Diabetes Outcomes
Emerging research suggests that loneliness may influence how successfully individuals manage their chronic conditions. Over 3 in 10 adults with diabetes often find that loneliness increases the challenges of completing daily self-care activities, including monitoring glucose levels and taking medications.
Healthcare organizations have become increasingly sophisticated in identifying clinical risk, but data points do not always explain why individuals with similar diagnoses and treatment plans experience different outcomes. Loneliness may help explain part of that difference, as it reflects a person’s perception of connection, influencing motivation, confidence, and engagement.
A recent study examined adults with diabetes who initiated continuous glucose monitoring as part of a structured education and coaching program. At baseline, individuals reporting loneliness demonstrated significantly poorer glycemic profiles, with average blood glucose levels of nearly 185 mg/dL compared to approximately 162 mg/dL among non-lonely participants.
When participants received structured diabetes education and ongoing coaching, those experiencing loneliness demonstrated substantial improvements, with average glucose levels declining by more than 34 mg/dL and time in range increasing by more than 17 percentage points within three months.
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Recalibrating Diabetes Care
The study highlights the need for a better understanding of the underlying reasons a person may be experiencing poor control of their chronic disease. Health plans should consider investigating nonclinical circumstances, such as social connections, caregiving responsibilities, and emotional well-being, to establish important context for a person’s outcomes.
Asking the right questions about community support and social needs can spark conversations that might never otherwise take place. As healthcare moves toward more personalized and holistic models of care, it is essential to consider that success with diabetes care isn’t just about achieving glycemic control, but also about improving the quality of life for the whole person.
The research suggests that loneliness is not simply a marker of poor outcomes but also a valuable data point that can pinpoint individuals who have the most to gain from meaningful support and engagement. By addressing loneliness and providing personalized support, health plans can reduce the delta in outcomes for people with diabetes and improve their overall quality of life.
According to the study, individuals experiencing loneliness demonstrated significant improvements in their glycemic profiles after receiving structured education and coaching. This finding suggests that health plans can play a critical role in connecting patients with diabetes coaches, educators, and clinicians who can provide personalized support and guidance.
As the study’s findings demonstrate, addressing loneliness can lead to substantial improvements in diabetes outcomes.
