Work or Wellness? Examining the Challenges of Low-Wage Workers with Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes disproportionately affects low-income and racially marginalized communities. Several social and economic factors intersect to create and reproduce this unequal burden. This qualitative study explores how low-wage workers experience and navigate diabetes management in the workplace. Our findings highlight how unpredictable work schedules, lack of access to sick leave, and inflexible work environments with limited worker autonomy create significant barriers to diabetes self-management. These challenges are compounded by limited control over work conditions and societal norms that emphasize personal responsibility. To address these disparities, we propose multi-level interventions, including educational campaigns on workplace rights, policy changes promoting flexible scheduling and paid sick leave, raising the minimum wage to improve economic security, and routine screenings by health care providers to explore workplace factors that may be affecting diabetes control.