Journal Article > CommentaryFull Text
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2020 February 1; Volume 8 (Issue 2); DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(19)30408-5
Kehlenbrink S, Boulle P
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2020 February 1; Volume 8 (Issue 2); DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(19)30408-5
Journal Article > LetterFull Text
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2022 February 7; Volume S2213-8587 (Issue 22); 00036-5.; DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(22)00036-5
Kehlenbrink S, Mahboob O, Al-Zubi S, Boulle P, Aebischer-Perone S, et al.
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2022 February 7; Volume S2213-8587 (Issue 22); 00036-5.; DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(22)00036-5
Journal Article > CommentaryFull Text
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2019 August 1; DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(19)30197-4.
Kehlenbrink S, Jaacks LM, Perone SA, Ansbro É, Ashbourne E, et al.
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2019 August 1; DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(19)30197-4.
Journal Article > CommentaryAbstract Only
Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics
ENDOCRINOL METAB CLIN NORTH AM
Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2023 June 18; Volume 52 (Issue 4); 603-615.; DOI:10.1016/j.ecl.2023.05.010
Kehlenbrink S, Jobanputra K, Reddy A, Boulle P, Gomber A, et al.
Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics
ENDOCRINOL METAB CLIN NORTH AM
Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2023 June 18; Volume 52 (Issue 4); 603-615.; DOI:10.1016/j.ecl.2023.05.010
Despite the increasing prevalence of diabetes in populations experiencing humanitarian crisis, along with evidence that people living with diabetes are at higher risk for poor outcomes in a crisis, diabetes care is not routinely included in humanitarian health interventions. We here describe 4 factors that have contributed to the inequities and lack of diabetes inclusion in humanitarian programmes: (1) evolving paradigms in humanitarian health care, (2) complexities of diabetes service provision in humanitarian settings, (3) social and cultural challenges, and (4) lack of financing. We also outline opportunities and possible interventions to address these challenges and improve diabetes care among crisis-affected populations.
Journal Article > ReviewFull Text
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2019 August 1; Volume 7 (Issue 8); 648-656.; DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(19)30083-X
Boulle P, Kehlenbrink S, Smith JS, Beran D, Jobanputra K
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2019 August 1; Volume 7 (Issue 8); 648-656.; DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(19)30083-X
The humanitarian health landscape is gradually changing, partly as a result of the shift in global epidemiological trends and the rise of non-communicable diseases, including diabetes. Humanitarian actors are progressively incorporating care for diabetes into emergency medical response, but challenges abound. This Series paper discusses contemporary practical challenges associated with diabetes care in humanitarian contexts in low-income and middle-income countries, using the six building blocks of health systems described by WHO (information and research, service delivery, health workforce, medical products and technologies, governance, and financing) as a framework. Challenges include the scarcity of evidence on the management of diabetes and clinical guidelines adapted to humanitarian contexts; unavailability of core indicators for surveillance and monitoring systems; and restricted access to the medicines and diagnostics necessary for adequate clinical care. Policy and system frameworks do not routinely include diabetes and little funding is allocated for diabetes care in humanitarian crises. Humanitarian organisations are increasingly gaining experience delivering diabetes care, and interagency collaboration to coordinate, improve data collection, and analyse available programmes is in progress. However, the needs around all six WHO health system building blocks are immense, and much work needs to be done to improve diabetes care for crisis-affected populations.
Journal Article > CommentaryAbstract Only
J Clin Endocrinol Metab
. 2022 May 27; Volume 107 (Issue 9); e3553-e3561.; DOI:10.1210/clinem/dgac331
Kehlenbrink S, Ansbro É, Besançon S, Hassan S, Roberts B, et al.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab
. 2022 May 27; Volume 107 (Issue 9); e3553-e3561.; DOI:10.1210/clinem/dgac331
Amid the growing global diabetes epidemic, the scale of forced displacement resulting from armed conflict and humanitarian crises is at record-high levels. More than 80% of the displaced population lives in lower- and middle-income countries, which also host 81% of the global population living with diabetes. Most crises are protracted, often lasting decades, and humanitarian aid organizations are providing long-term primary care to both the local and displaced populations. Humanitarian crises are extremely varied in nature and occur in contexts that are diverse and dynamic. The scope of providing diabetes care varies depending on the phase of the crisis. This paper describes key challenges and possible solutions to improving diabetes care in crisis settings. It focuses on (1) ensuring a reliable supply of life preserving medications and diagnostics, (2) restoring and maintaining access to health care, and (3) adapting service design to the context. These challenges are illustrated through case studies in Ukraine, Mali, the Central African Republic, and Jordan.
Journal Article > CommentaryFull Text
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2023 March 1; Volume 11 (Issue 3); 146-149.; DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(23)00033-5
Kehlenbrink S, Jobanputra K, International Alliance for Diabetes Action
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2023 March 1; Volume 11 (Issue 3); 146-149.; DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(23)00033-5
Journal Article > ReviewFull Text
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2019 March 13; Volume 7 (Issue 8); 638-647.; DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(19)30082-8
Kehlenbrink S, Smith JS, Ansbro É, Fuhr D, Cheung ATL, et al.
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2019 March 13; Volume 7 (Issue 8); 638-647.; DOI:10.1016/S2213-8587(19)30082-8
Human suffering as a result of natural disasters or conflict includes death and disability from non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, which have largely been neglected in humanitarian crises. The objectives of this Series paper were to examine the evidence on the burden of diabetes, use of health services, and access to care for people with diabetes among populations affected by humanitarian crises in low-income and middle-income countries, and to identify research gaps for future studies. We reviewed the scientific literature on this topic published between 1992 and 2018. The results emphasise that the burden of diabetes in humanitarian settings is not being captured, clinical guidance is insufficient, and diabetes is not being adequately addressed. Crisis-affected populations with diabetes face enormous constraints accessing care, mainly because of high medical costs. Further research is needed to characterise the epidemiology of diabetes in humanitarian settings and to develop simplified, cost-effective models of care to improve the delivery of diabetes care during humanitarian crises.
Journal Article > ReviewFull Text
Res Rep Trop Med
Journal of research and reports in tropical medicine. 2023 November 13; Volume 14; 111-120.; DOI:10.2147/RRTM.S397127
Le Bec E, Kam M, Aebischer Perone S, Boulle P, Cikomola J, et al.
Res Rep Trop Med
Journal of research and reports in tropical medicine. 2023 November 13; Volume 14; 111-120.; DOI:10.2147/RRTM.S397127
Lack of awareness, access to insulin and diabetes care can result in high levels of morbidity and mortality for children with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Improvements in access to insulin and diabetes management have improved outcomes in some settings. However, many people still present in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in parallel to misdiagnosis of children with T1DM in contexts with high rates of communicable diseases. The aim of this study was to highlight the complexity of diagnosing pediatric T1DM in a healthcare environment dominated by infectious diseases and lack of adequate health system resources. This was done by developing clinical vignettes and recreating the hypothetico-deductive process of a clinician confronted with DKA in the absence of identification of pathognomonic elements of diabetes and with limited diagnostic tools. A non-systematic literature search for T1DM and DKA in SSA was conducted and used to construct clinical vignettes for children presenting in DKA. A broad differential diagnosis of the main conditions present in SSA was made, then used to construct a clinician's medical reasoning, and anticipate the results of different actions on the diagnostic process. An examination of the use of the digital based Integrated Management of Childhood Illness diagnostic algorithm was done, and an analysis of the software's efficiency in adequately diagnosing DKA was assessed. The main obstacles to diagnosis were low specificity of non-pathognomonic DKA symptoms and lack of tools to measure blood or urine glucose. Avenues for improvement include awareness of T1DM symptomatology in communities and health systems, and greater availability of diagnostic tests. Through this work clinical vignettes are shown to be a useful tool in analyzing the obstacles to underdiagnosis of diabetes, a technique that could be used for other pathologies in limited settings, for clinical teaching, research, and advocacy.