Substance Use Disorders and Diabetes Care: Lessons From New York Health Homes

Individuals that have both diabetes and substance use disorder (SUD) are more likely to have adverse health outcomes and are less likely to receive high quality diabetes care, compared with patients without coexisting SUD. Care management programs for patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and SUD, have been associated with improvements in the process and outcomes of care.

The aim was to assess the impact of having coexisting SUD on diabetes process of care metrics.

Preintervention/postintervention triple difference analysis.

Participants in the New York State Medicaid Health Home (NYS-HH) care management program who have diabetes and a propensity-matched comparison group of nonparticipants (N=37,260).

Process of care metrics for patients with diabetes: an eye (retinal) exam, HbA1c test, medical attention (screening laboratory measurements) for nephropathy, and receiving all 3 in the past year.

Before enrollment in NYS-HH, individuals with comorbid SUD had fewer claims for eye exams and HbA1c tests compared with those without comorbid SUD. Diabetes process of care improvements associated with NYS-HH enrollment were larger among those with comorbid SUD [eye exam: adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=1.08; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.15]; HbA1c test: AOR=1.20 (95% CI: 1.11-1.29); medical attention for nephropathy: AOR=1.21 (95% CI: 1.12-1.31); all 3: AOR=1.09 (95% CI: 1.02-1.16).

Individuals with both diabetes and SUD may benefit moderately more from care management than those without comorbid SUD. Individuals with both SUD and diabetes who are not enrolled in care management may be missing out on crucial diabetes care.