Association of Social Support With Glycemic Control Among American Indians With Type 2 Diabetes: The Strong Heart Family Study

Few studies have examined associations of social support with blood glucose control in American Indians (AIs), a population with a high burden of type 2 diabetes and related complications. This study examined the association of perceived social support with A1C among AIs in the Strong Heart Study. This cross-sectional study included 431 AI participants. Social support was measured using questions adapted from the National Comorbidity Survey and validated for use in AIs. A1C was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the association of social support with A1C. Participants who reported greater levels of social support had lower A1C levels. After adjustment for potential confounders, for every 1-SD increase in social support (6.8 points), A1C was 0.21% lower (β = −0.21%, 95% CI −0.40 to −0.01, P = 0.04). These data suggest that higher levels of social support are associated with better control of blood glucose. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanism by which perceived social support affects A1C.