Abstract

The effect of a diabetes self-management program for African Americans in a faith-based setting (pilot study)

Author(s): Pandora Goode*

Background: Integrating spiritual principles with practical principles may be a strategy to assist persons to understand how to make positive health decisions. Faith-based programs can allow individuals to acquire the diabetes knowledge necessary to manage their disease and practice the necessary lifestyle changes within the context of their culture and community. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test a 6-week faith-based diabetes self-management program for African American adults diagnosed with diabetes. The aim of the intervention was to increase knowledge about diabetes and diabetes self-management practices, improve lifestyle behaviors, and increase knowledge about symptom management to prevent and treat hypoglycemia for African Americans living in the southeastern United States. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with one group pre-test post-test design was used to test a 6-week pilot study of a faith-based diabetes self-management program for African American adults. The non-normality of the variables required use of a nonparametric dependent samples test. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests were used to examine difference in self-efficacy, symptoms management, and diabetes self-management before and after the intervention. Results: There were significant improvements among participants in diabetes knowledge, p value=<0.001, self-efficacy, p value=0.004, diabetes symptom management, p value=0.015, and improvements in diabetes self-care activities (diet, p value=0.001, exercise, p value=0.007, and foot care, p value=0.027). Conclusions: These study findings have important implications for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and Patient Care Medical Homes (PCMHs) to improve quality and patient centered care as well as to decrease unexpected hospitalizations, readmissions, and Emergency Department (ED) visits for diabetics. This type of brief but efficacious intervention has the potential to improve patient satisfaction and allay cost concerns with diabetic Medicare recipients.