1545-P: Impact of Loneliness on Diabetes Self-Management Practices

Introduction and Objective: Loneliness, a subjective sense of disconnectedness, is increasingly recognized as a public health concern. Evidence links loneliness to both macrovascular and microvascular diabetes complications. Our study aimed to examine the association between loneliness and diabetes self-management behaviors. Methods: We analyzed 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey data from 1,467 adults with diabetes. Loneliness was defined as T-scores of ≥55 on the PROMIS Social Isolation Short Form 4a V2.0 scale, which included four items measuring perceived social disconnection. Self-management outcomes included: 1) use of calorie information for purchasing prepared meals; and 2) engagement in moderate-intensity physical activity (≥3 days/week). We used survey-weighted logistic regression models to examine associations between loneliness and the two self-management outcomes above, adjusting for demographics and comorbidities. Results: Approximately 20% of adults with diabetes reported experiencing loneliness. Lonely adults with diabetes were less likely to engage in moderate exercise ≥3 days/week compared to non-lonely peers (36.8% vs. 49.9%). After adjustment for demographics, those experiencing loneliness had 48% lower odds of moderate-intensity exercise (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.32-0.85). This association remained significant after further adjustment for comorbidities (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.31-0.85) and depression (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.33-0.94). Use of calorie information did not differ significantly between the two groups (55.1% vs. 45.8%, p = 0.16). Conclusion: In adults with diabetes, loneliness is common and associated with reduced physical activity. Healthcare providers should screen for loneliness among people with diabetes. Targeted interventions to build social support may improve self-care behavior and improve diabetes outcomes. Disclosure S. Iregbu: None. R. Anguzu: None. S. Bhandari: None.