Healthcare

Background/Objectives: Healthcare discrimination poses significant challenges to the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of people living with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the role of social support in alleviating these effects has not been fully explored. Drawing on Cohen and Wills’ social support buffering model, this study examined whether social support moderates the association between healthcare discrimination and HRQoL among individuals with T2D. Methods: We analyzed data from 5180 adults with T2D enrolled in the All of Us Research Program. Healthcare discrimination was assessed using the modified Everyday Discrimination Scale (mEDS), social support with the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS), and HRQoL (physical and mental domains) with the PROMIS Global Health Scale. Moderation analyses were conducted through linear regression models. Results: Greater exposure to healthcare discrimination was associated with poorer physical and mental HRQoL. Social support demonstrated a significant moderating effect on mental HRQoL: as social support increased, the negative association between healthcare discrimination and mental well-being weakened. However, this buffering effect was not observed for physical HRQoL. Conclusions: Findings suggest that social support can mitigate the adverse mental health consequences of healthcare discrimination among individuals with T2D. Interventions aimed at strengthening social support networks warrant investigation as potential strategies to improve the mental HRQoL of people with T2D who encounter discrimination in healthcare environments.

Introduction: Functionality, anthropometric measurements (BMI, arm circumference), and handgrip strength (HGS) are crucial for assessing the health of older adults, as HGS is a strong predictor of frailty and independence, correlating with muscle mass loss (sarcopenia) and the risk of falls. Background/Objectives: To analyze the relationship between functional capacity, anthropometric measurements, and handgrip strength in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A descriptive, exploratory, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was conducted with 225 older adults monitored at two Family Health Units, using the Barthel Scale, Lawton and Brody Scale, anthropometric measurements (body mass index, waist, calf, and brachial circumferences), and dynamometry as instruments. Spearman’s test was used for correlations, with interpretation by shared variance and comparison of magnitudes by Steiger r-to-z method. A higher frequency of females (65.8%) was observed, in the age range between 60 and 68 years (51.1%), independent in Basic Activities of Daily Living (76.9%) and dependent in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (99.1%). The analysis revealed that waist circumference showed a significant correlation with waist-to-hip ratio (ρ-value 0.604; p-value < 0.01) and body mass index (ρ-value = 0.696; p-value < 0.01). These associations showed shared variances of 36.5% (waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio) and 48.4% (waist circumference and body mass index). Waist-to-hip ratio showed a significant positive correlation with waist-to-hip ratio (ρ-value = 0.256; p-value < 0.01) and body mass index (ρ-value = 0.198; p-value < 0.01). However, these relationships showed lower shared variances at 6.5% with waist-to-hip ratio and 3.9% with BMI. The Lawton scale showed a statistically significant negative correlation with hand grip strength (ρ-value = −0.176; p-value < 0.01). Conclusions: There is a significant relationship between functional capacity, anthropometric measurements, and hand grip strength in community-dwelling older adults, reflecting the interaction between physical performance, body composition, and autonomy.

Background: Climate change is intensifying extreme heat exposure in Mediterranean agricultural systems. Migrant workers engaged in outdoor fieldwork are a highly vulnerable population with limited access to resources. Crucially, there is a notable lack of data on how heat affects these workers in this specific region. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the physiological effects of high-temperature exposure by quantifying and correlating indirect indicators of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance (sodium and potassium losses, sweat, body weight, and blood pressure). Methods: An observational study was conducted over nine consecutive days involving ten agricultural participants, yielding 90 observations. Measurements of body weight, heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature, sweat loss, and sodium and potassium concentrations were taken before, during, and after daily field activity. Results: Results showed considerable interindividual variability in thermophysiological responses. Participants lost an average of 0.8 kg (range –9.1 to +3.6 kg) and produced 3.91 L of sweat (range 1.9–6.4 L), with sodium and potassium losses of 4932 mg and 646 mg, respectively. Sweat loss correlated with sodium (r = 0.414, p = 0.001) and potassium (r = 0.791, p < 0.001), and diastolic blood pressure was moderately associated with weight loss (r = 0.576, p = 0.016). Conclusions: Sweat loss was the main driver of electrolyte depletion, with marked interindividual variability. Monitoring sweat-related indicators and diastolic blood pressure could help detect dehydration risk in agricultural workers exposed to extreme heat. Targeted hydration strategies and occupational health education are essential to mitigate these risks.