“One Can Learn From Other People’s Experiences”

PURPOSE: To assess Latino adults' preferences for peer-based diabetes self-management interventions and the acceptability of the church setting for these interventions. METHODS: The authors partnered with 2 predominantly Mexican American churches in Chicago and conducted 6 focus groups with 37 adults who had diabetes or had a family member with diabetes. They assessed participant preferences regarding group education and telephone-based one-to-one peer diabetes self-management interventions. Systematic qualitative methods were used to identify the types of programming preferred by participants in the church setting. RESULTS: Participants had a mean (SD) age of 53 (11) years. All participants were Latino, and more than half were born in Mexico (60%). Most participants were female (78%), had finished high school (65%), and had health insurance (57%). Sixty-five percent reported having a diagnosis of diabetes. Many participants believed the group-based and telephone-based one-to-one peer support programs could provide opportunities to share diabetes knowledge. Yet, the majority stated the group education model would offer more opportunity for social interaction and access to people with a range of diabetes experience. Participants noted many concerns regarding the one-to-one intervention, mostly involving the impersonal nature of telephone calls and the inability to form a trusting bond with the telephone partner. However, the telephone-based intervention could be a supplement to the group educational sessions. Participants also stated the church would be a familiar and trusted setting for peer-based diabetes interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Church-based Latinos with diabetes and their family members were interested in peer-based diabetes self-management interventions; however, they preferred group-based to telephone-based one-to-one peer programs.