Abstract
Purpose: To identify prediabetes in the homeless population through education and screening program toolkit development in a sober living adult homeless shelter.|Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder found as the root cause of many co-morbidities including renal disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke, non-healing wounds, and more. The homeless population is at a higher risk due to a lack of preventative care, knowledge deficits, and social determinants.|Population/Setting: At-risk homeless residents with a history of substance abuse, living in a sober living setting with an on-campus primary care clinic in a Midwest metropolitan area.|Methods: A grant-funded quality improvement project with program development of a prescreening toolkit to include an ADA prediabetes screening tool, three poster presentations on food choices, substance use, and lifestyle modifications, purchased and a Rapid A1C Now machine for HA1c screenings, and patient survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.|Results: Of the 58 participants, 26% scored at risk for pre-diabetes using the ADA risk assessment tool. Of the participants that were screened with the HA1c testing, 13% were identified as having prediabetes, 7% with diabetes, and 20% refused HA1c screening.|Conclusion: Low-cost screening and education for prediabetes resulted in the identification of prediabetes in a homeless population. The tool kit can be easily used and replicated in homeless shelters, community centers, primary care, and outpatient settings.|Keywords: primary care, prediabetes, diabetes, homeless, risks, foot ulcers, screenings, tool kits, prevention