Innovations in Providing Diabetes Care for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness: An Environmental Scan

The objective of this study is to document innovations in providing diabetes care for individuals experiencing homelessness.MethodsUsing directed snowball sampling, we recruited a sample of service providers (family physicians, nurses, social workers, endocrinologists, diabetes educators, and shelter workers) in 5 Canadian cities (Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa). Data was collected using detailed open-ended interviews. Transcripts and field notes were analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsWe interviewed 96 program managers and providers representing 38 organizations. While many of the same challenges were faced by care providers in different jurisdictions, there was little communication or sharing of experiences across providers and organizations. However, we identified five unique and innovative approaches to providing diabetes care to individuals experiencing homelessness. These include: (1) provision of in-shelter care; (2) peer outreach/support workers; (3) diabetes specialty outreach clinics; (4) diabetes group care specific for this population; and (5) community-based pharmacy interventions.DiscussionProviders and organizations in different cities face similar challenges in providing diabetes care to individuals who are experiencing homelessness, yet they tend to address these difficulties in isolation. Despite this, numerous organizations have created innovative solutions to improve diabetes care. Sharing experiences across organizations and jurisdicti...
Source: Canadian Journal of Diabetes - Category: Endocrinology Source Type: research