Study sees pattern in food budget, diabetes

Low-income Americans with diabetes are more likely to seek treatment for hypoglycemia at the end of a month than are those with higher incomes, an indication those near and below the poverty line may be running out of money for food at month's end, a new study concludes.

“Researchers found a clear pattern among low-income people: Hospital admissions for hypoglycemia were 27% higher at the end of the month than at the beginning. Researchers said they could not prove that the patients' economic circumstances were the reason for the admission, but the two things were highly correlated,” the New York Times reported in discussing the study published this month in the journal Health Affairs.

Hypoglycemia can result from not eating properly while on medication for diabetes.

The findings reinforce more anecdotal evidence that lower income individuals are making very difficult decisions about how to best stretch their limited budgets. Indeed, the CEO of Walmart in 2011 noted that the retail giant was seeing lower income shoppers running out of money faster at the end of each month because, at the time, rising gasoline prices were forcing them to choose between gasoline for their cars and food for themselves.

"Purchases are really dropping off by the end of the month even more than last year. This end-of-month (purchases) cycle is growing to be a concern,” CEO Mike Duke told an investors conference in April, 2011.

The latest study comes as Congressional Republicans are advocating $40 billion in food stamp cuts, a move that could place further strains on low-income budgets.

Hospitals and healthcare providers who serve disproportionately low income markets should be aware of the spending issues their potential patients face and plan accordingly for fluxes in demand for various types of care such as treatment for hypoglycemia and other diet and nutrition-related conditions.

Follow John N. Frank on Twitter:@MHJFrank