Feasibility and Outcomes of Meta Salud Diabetes Behavioral Health Intervention: A Pilot Study of a Community Health Worker-Administered Educational Intervention to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Its Complications among Hispanic Patients with Type-2 Diabetes

Background: Hispanics in the United States experience a greater burden of type-2 diabetes (T2D), with a prevalence rate (17%) more than twice that of non-Hispanic whites (8%). Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among people with T2D. A culturally appropriate behavioral health intervention that addresses healthy lifestyle promotion is an impactful approach for health systems with scarce medical resources and a high prevalence of chronic conditions, including obesity and high blood pressure, which increase the likelihood of CVD mortality among type-2 diabetics. Purpose: To assess the feasibility and outcomes of a behavioral intervention to decrease CVD and complications in a Hispanic diabetic population. Methods: Meta Salud Diabetes (MSD), a behavioral intervention effective in a Mexican population, consists of a 13-week intervention addressing CVD and T2D knowledge and risk reduction. It was implemented in a sample of Hispanic diabetic patients from two federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). Clinical and behavioral variables were measured at baseline, postintervention, and 1-year follow-up. Results: The feasibility of MSD was rated as successful by all FQHC staff and well-received by both staff and study participants, with positive remarks about the culturally relevant components of the intervention. The sample size was n = 30 (baseline), n = 23 (postintervention), and n = 19 (1-year follow-up). Of note, quantitative results showed trending decreases in Hba1c (7.06; 6.80; 6.30), blood pressure (132/83; 126/80; 123/78), and total cholesterol (160; 159; 154). Conclusion: MSD is a feasible intervention and can address the need to improve health outcomes among Hispanic patients with T2D.