{"id":3682,"date":"2024-08-19T16:31:42","date_gmt":"2024-08-19T16:31:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=3682"},"modified":"2024-12-30T17:54:57","modified_gmt":"2024-12-30T17:54:57","slug":"digital-divide-hindering-diabetes-care-for-millions-of-medicare-beneficiaries-study-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/digital-divide-hindering-diabetes-care-for-millions-of-medicare-beneficiaries-study-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Divide Hindering Diabetes Care for Millions of Medicare Beneficiaries, Study Finds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">A groundbreaking study led by UCF highlights a major digital divide affecting diabetes care for millions of Medicare beneficiaries, potentially transforming health care practices for at-risk populations.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0dfbf163 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px;\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Approximately 38% of Medicare beneficiaries eligible for diabetes self-management training \u2014 potentially affecting around 3.9 million people \u2014 lack the necessary digital resources to fully benefit from virtual care programs, according to recent research led by the University of Central Florida. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The interdisciplinary study, spearheaded by Boon Peng Ng, a health economist and associate professor at the UCF&#8217;s College of Nursing, has brought to light an alarming disparity in diabetes care accessibility. Ng\u2019s pioneering work earned him the 2024 Research Award from the Association of Diabetes Care &amp; Education Specialists annual conference in New Orleans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAlthough covered by Medicare, utilization of diabetes self-management education and support has been low, particularly in rural communities,\u201d Ng said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-researcher-identifies-digital-divide-impacting-diabetes-care-for-millions-of-at-risk-medicare-beneficiaries\/\" title=\"\">news release<\/a>. \u201cTelehealth delivery of the program has the potential to address this gap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ng&#8217;s research revealed that sociodemographic factors such as race, income, education and geographical location significantly influence access to digital tools like computers, tablets and reliable internet connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDisparities were observed based on race and ethnicity, income, education and where individuals lived,\u201d Ng added. \u201cThis affects a beneficiary\u2019s ability to receive the full service of the virtual program, impacting not only the success of the program but also the patient\u2019s health outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The stakes are high, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 29% of Americans aged 65 and older have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, with an additional 48% in the same age group having prediabetes \u2014 altogether exceeding 27 million people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ng envisions health care providers taking proactive steps by screening patients for access to digital resources and supporting those in need by connecting them with low-cost digital tools or in-person assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTailored efforts to reduce the digital divide to improve accessibility, affordability, adoption and technology literacy among Medicare beneficiaries will require community, public and private sector involvement,\u201d added Ng.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What&#8217;s more, Ng&#8217;s research identifies similar digital disparities in the virtual Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP), which aims to avert the development of Type 2 diabetes in at-risk individuals. A recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ajpmonline.org\/article\/S0749-3797(24)00216-2\/abstract#%20\" title=\"\">publication<\/a> in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine indicates that approximately 30% of eligible Americans, or nearly 6 million, lack full digital access to the virtual MDPP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ng&#8217;s findings underscore the urgency for a combined effort from community organizations, public agencies and private sectors to bridge this digital divide and ensure equitable health care access for all Medicare beneficiaries. With the right strategies and support systems in place, millions of older Americans could enjoy enhanced diabetes care and better health outcomes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Approximately 38% of Medicare beneficiaries eligible for diabetes self-management training \u2014 potentially affecting around 3.9 million people \u2014 lack the necessary digital resources to fully benefit from virtual care programs, according to recent research led by the University of Central Florida. The interdisciplinary study, spearheaded by Boon Peng Ng, a health economist and associate professor [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health-care"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Approximately 38% of Medicare beneficiaries eligible for diabetes self-management training \u2014 potentially affecting around 3.9 million people \u2014 lack the necessary digital resources to fully benefit from virtual care programs, according to recent research led by the University of Central Florida. The interdisciplinary study, spearheaded by Boon Peng Ng, a health economist and associate professor&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3682","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3682"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3682\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3698,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3682\/revisions\/3698"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3682"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3682"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}