The Role of the New Haven SEEN Program in Combating Social Determinants of Health in Diabetic Retinopathy

The SEEN Program Overview

The Sight-Saving Engagement and Evaluation in New Haven (SEEN) Program has successfully identified and engaged at-risk individuals for diabetic retinopathy (DR) through a focus on adverse social determinants of health. Dr. Kristen Harris Nwanyanwu, an expert in ophthalmology, presented her findings at the prestigious 57th annual meeting of the Retina Society in Lisbon.

Community Engagement and Patient Care

• The program focuses on urban populations, offering coordinated care to those identified at high risk for DR.
• Utilizing the Yale New Haven Health electronic health record system, the SEEN team identified participants who had not received an eye examination within the year.

Screening and Enrollment Process

1. Participants were screened using the SEEN risk calculator which considers factors like glycemic control and systemic co-morbidities.
2. After obtaining consent, participants underwent thorough eye exams that included advanced imaging.
3. A partnership with Project Access New Haven provided additional support to address social health determinants.

Key Findings and Implications

The SEEN Program reported significant findings regarding the demographics of participants

• 35 individuals were recruited, with 52% being women and a mean age of 52.3 years.
• Most participants had public insurance, reflecting the socio-economic challenges faced by this population.

Dr. Nwanyanwu concluded that most high-risk participants who were not engaged in eye care did not have DR, highlighting the critical link between social determinants of health and eye health.