LIVING SITUATION AND HEALTHCARE UTILIZATION IN OLDER ADULTS WITH SELF-REPORTED DIABETES - Issue S2 - Study findings and implications

Sep 29, 2026

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Diabetes drives substantial morbidity and mortality among U.S. older adults. Prior work links social isolation with poorer diabetes outcomes, yet the association between specific living arrangements and healthcare use among older adults with diabetes has been insufficiently studied. Using 2021–2022 NHIS data and regression models, the study tests whether living alone, with a partner, or with other adults relates to overnight hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and urgent care visits in adults aged 65+. After adjustment, living with a partner showed higher odds of emergency-room use than living alone, while urgent care frequency and hospitalization rates did not differ. Increased ED use underscores the need for prevention strategies to reduce health and financial burdens of diabetes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Background and purpose

Living situations and expected effects

Data and methods

NHIS 2021–2022 and statistical modeling

Results

Emergency department odds by living arrangement

Urgent care and hospitalization comparisons

Interpretation and implications

Partner-related care seeking and prevention needs

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 723 Hahn3, 1. Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Byron Center, Michigan, United States, 2. Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States, 3. Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States Diabetes is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States, particularly in older adults. Prior research has demonstrated that social isolation is associated with worse diabetes outcomes, but the specific relationship between distinct living situations and healthcare utilization among older diabetic adults remains underexamined. This study aims to determine whether living situations, including living alone, living with a partner, or living with other adult(s), are associated with varying rates of hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and urgent care visits among older adults with diabetes. Data from the 2021 and 2022 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) was analyzed via descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and zero-inflated negative binomial regression to investigate the relationship between the living situation and health outcomes as measured by overnight hospitalizations, number of urgent care visits, and emergency department visits of adults with diabetes over the age of 65. After adjusting for age, sex, race and ethnicity, education level, and comorbidities, participants living with a partner had significantly higher odds of visiting the emergency room when compared to individuals living alone. No significant differences were observed in urgent care visit frequency or hospitalization rates across living situations. This contrasts with the expectation that social isolation may drive increased healthcare utilization, suggesting that partners may encourage care-seeking behavior or results could reflect underlying differences in health status and access to outpatient care. Understanding factors contributing to increased ED visits is crucial for developing preventative measures to reduce the disease burden and financial burden associated with diabetes. Abstract citation ID: igaf122.2461 LIVING SITUATION AND HEALTHCARE UTILIZATION IN OLDER ADULTS WITH SELF-REPORTED DIABETES Amy Van Dusen1, Rachel Bishop2, Zane Deliu2, Megan O’Mara2, Carla Obeid2, Asef Raiyan Hoque2, and Samantha

FAQs

What living situations were compared in the study?

The study compared living alone, living with a partner, and living with other adult(s) among adults aged 65+ with self-reported diabetes.

Which healthcare outcome differed significantly by living situation?

Participants living with a partner had significantly higher odds of visiting the emergency room compared with those living alone.

Did urgent care visits or hospitalization rates vary across living situations?

No significant differences were observed in urgent care visit frequency or hospitalization rates across the different living situations.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Kyle