School of Medicine summer research student Olohitare "Abby" Abaku is creating a tool to help clinicians create personalized treatment plans for diabetes patients.
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Student researcher Olohitare "Abby" Abaku is creating a tool to help clinicians create personalized treatment plans for diabetes patients.
Geolocational data, which shows where patients live and what resources they have access to, may determine how best to manage their disease.
University of Maryland School of Medicine summer research student Olohitare "Abby" Abaku is using a large-scale geolocational diabetes registry to see how proximity to health care, food, and other essential community resources impacts patients’ ability to properly manage their diabetes.
Abaku and her team hypothesized that greater distance to essential resources like grocery stores would have a negative impact on the risk for glycemic control — maintaining blood glucose levels within a target range to prevent other health complications.
The team not only found a strong correlation, but also noted that underserved and predominantly low-income communities are more likely to be food deserts, exacerbating health discrepancies.
In a new video Q&A, Abaku discusses her work.
Read more about how UMB researchers are tackling real-world challenges and making a lasting impact on lives everywhere.