The Diabetes and Mental Health (DMH) Initiative was featured in a news release published last month by the team at the Caswell Diabetes Institute (CDI). The news article highlighted the work of the CDI Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC), which engages a diverse group of community members who have lived experience with diabetes in the work of the CDI. This past year, the PFAC has contributed their expertise to a variety of research projects and initiatives that focus on the psychosocial aspects of diabetes care and management, including stigma, emotional distress, diabetes education, and caregiving.

As the article highlights, we have collaborated with the PFAC to inform our work on the DMH Study, which aims to generate novel data and actionable insights to address stigma, diabetes-related distress, and the emotional or psychological burden of diabetes management. Over the course of the project, we brought our works-in-progress and questions to the PFAC, who shared their personal experiences of diabetes-related stigma and made concrete recommendations that guided our research focus. Overall, the input of the PFAC and their lived experience of the emotional aspects of living or caring for someone with diabetes has been invaluable to our development of this project. You can read the full news article here.

We are excited to share a recent blog written Dr. Mezuk and published in the Interdisciplinary Assocation for Population Health Sciences (IAPHS) Blog. 

In the article, Dr. Mezuk reflects on what it means to ‘invest’ in science and health research within the context of the current administation’s push to reduce “government waste” and reconsider federal funding for the health sciences. The article draws from the investment advice of Warren Buffet to outline concrete ways in which we can improve our approach to federal and societal investment in health, calling into question what role investment has in population health research and the pursuit of health equity (who benefits from advancements in health research?).

You can read the full blog entitled “Investment Advice for America’s Health: How Words From the “Oracle of Omaha” Apply to Government Funding of Research” here.

We are very excited to announce that GREMAP PhD student Eskira Kahsay has successfully defended her dissertation! Her dissertation was titled “Residential Segregation and Psychiatric Disorders in Suicide-Related Outcomes and Mortality Among Black Americans”. This work leveraged two key datasets — the National Survey of American Life and the National Violent Death Reporting System— to provide a valuable contribution to our understanding of how structural and spatial determinants of health impact mental health and suicide risk within the Black population. Congratulations to Dr. Kahsay!

Last week, medical student and GREMAP collaborator Chris Okine presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) annual conference, which took place in Chicago, IL. Chris presented his poster entitled “‘Feeling secure is important to me… but I just don’t… most of the time’: Patient Definitions of Success in Diabetes Management”, which analyzed qualitative data from Diabetes, Distress, and Disparities (3D) Study to explore how people with diabaetes (PWD) define ‘success’ in the management of their diabetes. For example, PWD in the 3D study sample defined success in a broader sense, including the impact of managing their diabetes on their relationships, their sense of balance and quality of life, and their mental and emotional health, in addition to clinical markers (e.g., A1c) often used in a healthcare setting.

Overall, the ADA conference was a great opportunity to connect with other researchers and clinicians and to share our work with a broader audience focused on diabetes. Chris shared that many people were interested in the quotes and specifics about patient experiences with defining success as it relates to their diabetes management. Attendees were also interested in learning more about how definitions of success varied by diabetes type. In addition to the poster session, Chris connected with other presenters as well as faculty from UM who study diabetes. Great work, Chris!

Left: Chris presenting his poster at the poster session; Right: Chris at the ADA conference entrance.

In May, Dr. Viktoryia Kalesnikava presented at the Psychosocial Aspects of Diabetes annual meeting, which was held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Dr. Kalesnikava presented qualitative findings from the Diabetes, Distress, and Disparities (3D) Study, which was fielded in 2024 as a part of GREMAP’s Diabetes and Mental Health (DMH) Initiative. The presentation was titled “’When I do feel confident and secure, I feel more like my old self’: Patient perspectives and priorities in diabetes management” and highlighted patient perspectives and perceptions of their health and care needs related to diabetes. Dr. Kalesnikava also chaired a session on stigma and support at the conference. You can find the full conference proceedings here.

We wanted to give a shout-out to GREMAP MPH student Lauren Kouassi, who is joining the UM Injury Prevention Center as an intern this summer. Lauren will be working on a project to evaluate implementation of the Know the Signs program at schools in the Bronx District 9. The goal is to understand school-level outcomes, student-level outcomes, and the implementation of the program, such as cultural tailoring practices. Enjoy your internship, Lauren! We are looking forward to hearing about your work.

Last month, Dr. Briana Mezuk presented at the Association for Psychological Science (APS) annual meeting in Washtington, D.C. Dr. Mezuk gave a talk on the MIWI program as a part of a broader session on advancements in social sciences research. The session was titled “30 Years of Advancing Behavioral and Social Sciences Research to Improve Health for All” and was organized by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) at NIH. You can find more information here.

Dr. Mezuk (far right) with her co-presenters at APS.

We are excited to share the Annual Report from the Caswell Diabetes Institute, which highlights the institute’s achievements in research, education, and patient care here at UM. The report also features our work on the DMH Study, which is supported by a project grant from the Caswell Institute. On page 30, they showcase our progress in research, training, and mentorship and highlight our key findings from the 3D Study, which was fielded in 2024. You can read the full report here.