Abstract
With an estimated 38.4 million Americans having diabetes (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 2024) and well-documented diabetes disparities, it is imperative that social determinants of health (SDOH) and its impact on diabetes outcomes be an integral part of undergraduate nursing education. Literature supports a direct relationship in SDOH to diabetes prevalence, complications, and patient outcomes (American Diabetes Association [ADA], 2024; Hill-Briggs & Fitzpatrick, 2023). There is much literature describing learning strategies in diabetes education. However, there is minimal literature regarding SDOH research in nursing curricula (Lee & Wilson, 2020; Liu et al., 2023). There was no literature support found that integrates SDOH into care of a patient with diabetes mellitus (DM) in a simulated environment. To fill this gap, faculty developed and implemented innovative, reflective learning strategies that integrate SDOH assessment into the care of a patient with DM. The purpose was to enhance perception of the association of adverse SDOH on diabetes management and to increase self-efficacy in SDOH assessment.
Learning Strategies: Didactic content and group case studies were completed prior to the simulation. Classroom content included traditional diabetes lecture, and SDOH as they relate to a patient with DM. Students share their responses to a case study scenario of a person with DM with several barriers to health maintenance. During the simulated bedside SDOH interview, the high-fidelity manikin starts to exhibit signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia. The students are expected to recognize the change in patient condition, gather additional assessment data, implement appropriate nursing interventions, notify the provider, and do a follow-up assessment. During simulation debrief students reflect on the relationship between SDOH and DM health management.
Evaluation: Students’ reflective post surveys showed increased awareness of the impact of SDOH on chronic disease management and increased comfort with SDOH assessment.
Nursing Implications/Conclusion: SDOH focused simulation increased student nurses awareness of adverse SDOH its impact on health maintenance challenges in diabetic patients.The strategies support the ADA (2025) Standards of Care in Diabetes recommendations emphasizing the importance of assessing and responding to disparities in diabetes care. The integration of SDOH into nursing curricula is imperative to improve nursing practices and patient outcomes.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Epsilon Chi
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Teaching and Learning Strategies, Health Equity, Social Determinants of Health, Simulation, Nursing Education, Advances in Education, Diabetes Management
Recommended Citation
Sump, Christine A.; Rose, Donna L.; and Frazier, Nicole, "Innovative Teaching Strategies: Linking Social Determinants of Health to Diabetes Management" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 117.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/117
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-11-27
Innovative Teaching Strategies: Linking Social Determinants of Health to Diabetes Management
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
With an estimated 38.4 million Americans having diabetes (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 2024) and well-documented diabetes disparities, it is imperative that social determinants of health (SDOH) and its impact on diabetes outcomes be an integral part of undergraduate nursing education. Literature supports a direct relationship in SDOH to diabetes prevalence, complications, and patient outcomes (American Diabetes Association [ADA], 2024; Hill-Briggs & Fitzpatrick, 2023). There is much literature describing learning strategies in diabetes education. However, there is minimal literature regarding SDOH research in nursing curricula (Lee & Wilson, 2020; Liu et al., 2023). There was no literature support found that integrates SDOH into care of a patient with diabetes mellitus (DM) in a simulated environment. To fill this gap, faculty developed and implemented innovative, reflective learning strategies that integrate SDOH assessment into the care of a patient with DM. The purpose was to enhance perception of the association of adverse SDOH on diabetes management and to increase self-efficacy in SDOH assessment.
Learning Strategies: Didactic content and group case studies were completed prior to the simulation. Classroom content included traditional diabetes lecture, and SDOH as they relate to a patient with DM. Students share their responses to a case study scenario of a person with DM with several barriers to health maintenance. During the simulated bedside SDOH interview, the high-fidelity manikin starts to exhibit signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia. The students are expected to recognize the change in patient condition, gather additional assessment data, implement appropriate nursing interventions, notify the provider, and do a follow-up assessment. During simulation debrief students reflect on the relationship between SDOH and DM health management.
Evaluation: Students’ reflective post surveys showed increased awareness of the impact of SDOH on chronic disease management and increased comfort with SDOH assessment.
Nursing Implications/Conclusion: SDOH focused simulation increased student nurses awareness of adverse SDOH its impact on health maintenance challenges in diabetic patients.The strategies support the ADA (2025) Standards of Care in Diabetes recommendations emphasizing the importance of assessing and responding to disparities in diabetes care. The integration of SDOH into nursing curricula is imperative to improve nursing practices and patient outcomes.
Description
Health inequities related to management of DM are influenced by SDOH. There is minimal literature regarding SDOH research in nursing curricula. Faculty utilized blended learning strategies to fill this gap. Student feedback indicated increased awareness of SDOH on disease management and increased comfort with SDOH assessment. Nurse educators must infuse SDOH into curricula to expand students’ understanding of the impact of SDOH to health equity and patient outcomes.