A new analysis of U.S. adults with prediabetes reveals that social and economic inequalities sharply shape who lives and who dies from this common condition. Drawing on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2018, researchers show that social determinants of health are tightly linked to mortality in people living on the brink of diabetes, with especially harsh consequences for those already facing systemic disadvantage.
The report highlights “striking variations in mortality” tied to socioeconomic status, with lower-income adults experiencing markedly higher death rates than their more affluent peers. Limited access to quality healthcare and lower educational attainment leave many people in marginalized communities without the information, resources, and timely interventions needed to manage prediabetes and prevent its complications. These social pressures deepen existing racial and ethnic health disparities, since communities of color are disproportionately represented in lower-income groups and in neighborhoods where healthcare access is constrained.
Researchers emphasize that gaps in regular healthcare access are often “exacerbated in marginalized communities,” where systemic barriers block consistent care, early diagnosis, and ongoing monitoring.
The study calls for public health strategies that do more than treat blood sugar levels: it urges policymakers to confront the social and economic inequities that drive higher mortality, from education and income to community support and mental health services. By centering social determinants of health, the work underscores that reducing prediabetes deaths—and narrowing racial health disparities—will require coordinated action across healthcare, education, and community development.
See: “Impact of Social Factors on Prediabetes Mortality” (November 16, 2025)
