Community health worker home visits for diabetes education and support significantly reduced diabetes distress among Black adults (P=0.046).
Does a community health worker home visit intervention reduce diabetes distress in Black adults with diabetes?
A community-based participatory research intervention using community health workers significantly reduced diabetes distress in Black adults.
Effect estimate: t-statistic 2.41
p-value: p=0.046
Introduction and Objective: Diabetes distress, the emotional burden of managing diabetes, is a public health concern that adversely affects quality of life and treatment outcomes. In Georgia, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is higher among non-Hispanic Black adults (16.3%) than among non-Hispanic White adults (12.3%). The Project PEACH Community Health Study, developed using a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach with a Federally Qualified Health Center in Southwest Georgia, deployed community health workers (CHWs) for home visits to provide diabetes education and support during COVID-19. This study evaluated Project PEACH’s impact on diabetes distress. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used, involving pre/post-surveys (n=24) and follow-up one-on-one interviews (n=10). Analysis of quantitative data included measures of demographics and diabetes distress using SPSS and coding qualitative thematic analysis of participant interviews using Dedoose. Results: At baseline, participants were middle-aged (mean=42.25 years), predominately female (79.2%), and identified as Black (100%). Most participants worked full time (45.8%) and had completed some college (52.4%). Paired T-test analysis revealed statistically significant reductions in diabetes distress at post-intervention (t-statistic=2.41;p=0.046), suggesting that the program effectively reduced the diabetes distress. Qualitative findings support these results as participants explain the struggles of living with diabetes. Highlighting the value of CHW support in diabetes self-management, increase in diabetes self-management skills, and emotional and educational support, which contributes to lowering diabetes distress. Conclusion: Participants in Project PEACH described reduced diabetes distress levels, highlighting the benefits of a home-based, CBPR CHW intervention. The personalized support and health education contributed to improved diabetes management. Disclosure A. Rivers: None. S.E. Samuel: None. R. Quarells: Research Support; Current; UCB, Inc. T. Jacobs: None. S.L. Spires: None.
Rivers et al. (Fri,) conducted a other in Diabetes distress (n=24). Community health worker home visits vs. Baseline was evaluated on Diabetes distress (t-statistic 2.41, p=0.046). Community health worker home visits for diabetes education and support significantly reduced diabetes distress among Black adults (P=0.046).