The Role of Social Issues on Food Procurement among Corner Store Owners and Shoppers.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed corner store shopper and owner perceptions, barriers, and enablers related to food procurement in a sample of neighborhood corner stores where over 50% of families are SNAP eligible. DESIGN: We conducted semi-structured interviews to identify inventory stocking, shopping and marketing approaches, and perspectives on healthy eating. PARTICIPANTS: Five corner store owners and 20 corner store shoppers. RESULTS: Corner store owners: 1) did not feel as though they belonged to the community where their corner store was located; 2) had difficulty in becoming authorized WIC retailers because of the perceived complexity of the process, and 3) stated tobacco products and hot food items are their best-selling items; fruits and vegetables were perceived as unmarketable. Corner store shoppers preferred shopping at local corner stores because: 1) lack of transportation made corner stores easier to access than full-service grocery stores; 2) hot foods are readily available and inexpensive; 3) some home kitchens lacked an oven or stovetop for meal preparation; 4) they need to shop daily for children or other family members. CONCLUSIONS: Social issues such as housing quality, corner store owner sense of community, and acculturation should be addressed when considering food environment in limited resource communities.

Glycemic Control in a Clinic-Based Sample of Diabetics in M'Bour Senegal.

BACKGROUND: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) including Senegal is faced with a significant and increasing burden of type 2 diabetes. However, little information is available about diabetes management among Senegalese diabetics. PURPOSE: The current study aims to describe the level of glycemic control among a convenience sample of diabetics who receive care at the M'Bour Hospital in M'Bour, Senegal. METHODS: A total of 106 type 2 diabetic patients were recruited at the hospital complex of M'Bour, Senegal. Linear regression was employed to assess the relationship between clinical and sociodemographic factors and Hba1c. RESULTS: Only 24.8% of the sample had glycemic control, according to an Hba1c test. Participants who were diagnosed earlier were less likely to have diabetes control (mean = 7.8 years) compared with those who were diagnosed more recently (mean = 6.5 years); p< .05. CONCLUSIONS: We found that glycemic control in our sample was suboptimal. Length of time with diabetes was one of the key factors related to glycemic control. Length of time with diabetes is negatively associated with glycemic control. Early diagnosis and early glycemic control are essential to long-term glycemic control screening, and early detection for diabetes is uncommon given the general lack of health insurance and most people paying out of pocket for medical care. In the absence of universal health insurance, public health programs that provide blood sugar screenings for high-risk individuals would provide preliminary indication of abnormal glucose; however, subsequent diagnostic testing and follow-up may still be cost prohibitive.

A cultural lens to understanding daily experiences with type 2 diabetes self-management among clinic patients in M'bour, Senegal.

Diabetes is a steadily increasing threat in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Factors such as urbanization, obesity, physical inactivity, and inadequate access to healthcare are believed to contribute to the increasing burden of diabetes. Interventions that optimize diabetes self-management are critically important since obtaining diabetes medications is challenging due to cost constraints and availability. Culture is a significant factor in shaping health behaviors such as diabetes self-management, where individual health behaviors operate in confluence with family, community, and social structures. This study examined experiences with diabetes self-management among clinic patients residing in M'bour, Senegal, using the PEN3 model as a cultural framework. Results indicate that financial challenges related to accessing medical care and adhering to the prescribed diabetic diet were the main barriers to diabetes management. Family dynamics serve as both supportive and inhibiting forces that influence the aforementioned barriers.