A randomized trial of an intervention to improve self-care behaviors of African-American women with type 2 diabetes: impact on physical activity

Process Evaluations of Diabetes Self-Management Programs: A Systematic Review of the Literature

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a systematic review of process evaluations (PEs) of diabetes self-management programs (DSMPs).

DATA SOURCE

An electronic search using Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL (Ensco), Academic Search (Ebsco), and APA PsycInfo (Ebsco).

STUDY INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA

Peer-reviewed, empirical quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method studies were included if they (1) were a traditional, group-based DSMP, (2) involved adults at least 18 years with T1DM or T2DM, (3) were a stand-alone or embedded PE, and (4) published in English.

DATA EXTRACTION

The following process evaluation outcomes were extracted: fidelity, dose delivered, dose received, reach, recruitment, retention, and context. Additional items were extracted, (eg, process evaluation type, data collection methods; theories; frameworks or conceptual models used to guide the process evaluation, and etc).

DATA SYNTHESIS

Due to heterogeneity across studies, studies were synthesized qualitatively (narratively).

RESULTS

Sixty-eight studies (k) in 78 articles (n) (k = 68; n = 78) were included. Most were mixed methods of low quality. Studies were typically integrated into outcome evaluations vs being stand-alone, lacked theoretical approaches to guide them, and incorporated limited outcomes such as dose received, reach, and retention.

CONCLUSION

Future research should 1) implement stand-alone theoretically grounded PE studies and 2) provide a shared understanding of standardized guidelines to conduct PEs. This will allow public health practitioners and researchers to assess and compare the quality of different programs to be implemented.

Older adults using social support to improve self-care (OASIS): Adaptation, implementation and feasibility of peer support for older adults with T2D in appalachia: A feasibility study protocol

INTRODUCTION

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is 17% higher in rural dwellers compared to their urban counterparts, and it increases with age, with an estimated 25% of older adults (≥ 65 years) diagnosed. Appropriate self-care is necessary for optimal clinical outcomes. Overall, T2D self-care is consistently poor among the general population but is even worse in rural-dwellers and older adults. In rural Kentucky, up to 23% of adults in Appalachian communities have been diagnosed with T2D and, of those, 26.8% are older adults. To attain optimal clinical outcomes, social environmental factors, including social support, are vital when promoting T2D self-care. Specifically, peer support has shown to be efficacious in improving T2D self-care behaviors and clinical and psychosocial outcomes related to T2D; however, literature also suggests self-selected social support can be obstructive when engaging in healthful activities. Currently available evidence-based interventions (EBIs) using peer support have not been used to prioritize older adults, especially those living in rural communities.

METHOD

To address this gap, we conducted formative research with stakeholders, and collaboratively identified an acceptable and feasible peer support EBI-peer health coaching (PHC)-that has resulted in improved clinical and psychosocial T2D-related outcomes among participants who did not reside in rural communities nor were ≥65 years. The goal of the proposed study is to use a 2x2 factorial design to test the adapted PHC components and determine their preliminary effectiveness to promote self-care behaviors and improve glycemic control among older adults living in Appalachian Kentucky. Testing the PHC components of the peer support intervention will be instrumental in promoting care for older adults in Appalachia, as it will allow for a larger scale intervention, which if effective, could be disseminated to community partners in Appalachia.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06003634) in August 2023.

Community-Based Culturally Tailored Education Programs for Black Communities with Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, Hypertension, and Stroke: Systematic Review Findings

BACKGROUND

Community-based culturally tailored education (CBCTE) programs for chronic diseases may reduce health disparities; however, a synthesis across chronic diseases is lacking. We explored (1) the characteristics and outcomes of CBCTE programs and (2) which strategies for culturally appropriate interventions have been used in CBCTE programs, and how they have been implemented.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted by searching three databases to identify empirical full-text literature on CBCTE programs for Black communities with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, or stroke. Studies were screened in duplicate, then data regarding study characteristics, participants, intervention, and outcomes were extracted and analyzed. Cultural tailoring strategies within programs were categorized using Kreuter and colleagues' framework.

RESULTS

Of the 74 studies, most were conducted in the USA (97%) and delivered in one site (53%; e.g., church/home). CBCTE programs targeted diabetes (65%), hypertension (30%), diabetes and hypertension (1%), cardiovascular disease (3%), and stroke (1%). Reported program benefits included physiological, medication-related, physical activity, and literacy. Cultural tailoring strategies included peripheral (targeted Black communities), constituent-involving (e.g., community informed), evidential (e.g., integrated community resources), linguistic (e.g., delivered in community's dialect/accent), and sociocultural (e.g., integrated community members' religious practices).

CONCLUSIONS

CBCTE programs may have beneficial outcomes, but a small sample size limited several. The strategies identified can be adopted by programs seeking to culturally tailor. Future interventions should clearly describe community members' roles/involvement and deliver programs in multiple locations to broaden reach.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42021245772.

Peer Support in Rheumatic Diseases: A Narrative Literature Review

Rheumatic diseases are a group of chronic conditions that are associated with significant morbidity, impaired physical function, psychosocial stress, and cost to the healthcare system. Peer support interventions have been shown to have a positive impact on health outcomes in several chronic conditions, but no review has specifically assessed the impact of peer support on rheumatic conditions. The aim of this narrative literature review was to understand how peer support has been applied in the field of rheumatology, with a specific focus on the impact of observational and randomized studies of direct peer support interventions on various outcome measures across rheumatic conditions. We also examined studies exploring patient attitudes and preferences toward peer support. The majority of studies included focused on peer support in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Generally, patients across the spectrum of rheumatic disease perceive peer support as a useful tool. Peer support interventions, while highly variable, were generally associated with positive impacts on health-related quality of life metrics (both perceived and measured), although these differences were not always statistically significant. Important limitations include variability in study design, selection bias among study participants, and short follow-up periods across most peer support interventions.

Quality improvement strategies for diabetes care: Effects on outcomes for adults living with diabetes

BACKGROUND

There is a large body of evidence evaluating quality improvement (QI) programmes to improve care for adults living with diabetes. These programmes are often comprised of multiple QI strategies, which may be implemented in various combinations. Decision-makers planning to implement or evaluate a new QI programme, or both, need reliable evidence on the relative effectiveness of different QI strategies (individually and in combination) for different patient populations.

OBJECTIVES

To update existing systematic reviews of diabetes QI programmes and apply novel meta-analytical techniques to estimate the effectiveness of QI strategies (individually and in combination) on diabetes quality of care.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched databases (CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL) and trials registers (ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO ICTRP) to 4 June 2019. We conducted a top-up search to 23 September 2021; we screened these search results and 42 studies meeting our eligibility criteria are available in the awaiting classification section.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised trials that assessed a QI programme to improve care in outpatient settings for people living with diabetes. QI programmes needed to evaluate at least one system- or provider-targeted QI strategy alone or in combination with a patient-targeted strategy. - System-targeted: case management (CM); team changes (TC); electronic patient registry (EPR); facilitated relay of clinical information (FR); continuous quality improvement (CQI). - Provider-targeted: audit and feedback (AF); clinician education (CE); clinician reminders (CR); financial incentives (FI). - Patient-targeted: patient education (PE); promotion of self-management (PSM); patient reminders (PR). Patient-targeted QI strategies needed to occur with a minimum of one provider or system-targeted strategy.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We dual-screened search results and abstracted data on study design, study population and QI strategies. We assessed the impact of the programmes on 13 measures of diabetes care, including: glycaemic control (e.g. mean glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c)); cardiovascular risk factor management (e.g. mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), proportion of people living with diabetes that quit smoking or receiving cardiovascular medications); and screening/prevention of microvascular complications (e.g. proportion of patients receiving retinopathy or foot screening); and harms (e.g. proportion of patients experiencing adverse hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia). We modelled the association of each QI strategy with outcomes using a series of hierarchical multivariable meta-regression models in a Bayesian framework. The previous version of this review identified that different strategies were more or less effective depending on baseline levels of outcomes. To explore this further, we extended the main additive model for continuous outcomes (HbA1c, SBP and LDL-C) to include an interaction term between each strategy and average baseline risk for each study (baseline thresholds were based on a data-driven approach; we used the median of all baseline values reported in the trials). Based on model diagnostics, the baseline interaction models for HbA1c, SBP and LDL-C performed better than the main model and are therefore presented as the primary analyses for these outcomes. Based on the model results, we qualitatively ordered each QI strategy within three tiers (Top, Middle, Bottom) based on its magnitude of effect relative to the other QI strategies, where 'Top' indicates that the QI strategy was likely one of the most effective strategies for that specific outcome. Secondary analyses explored the sensitivity of results to choices in model specification and priors.  Additional information about the methods and results of the review are available as Appendices in an online repository. This review will be maintained as a living systematic review; we will update our syntheses as more data become available.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified 553 trials (428 patient-randomised and 125 cluster-randomised trials), including a total of 412,161 participants. Of the included studies, 66% involved people living with type 2 diabetes only. Participants were 50% female and the median age of participants was 58.4 years. The mean duration of follow-up was 12.5 months. HbA1c was the commonest reported outcome; screening outcomes and outcomes related to cardiovascular medications, smoking and harms were reported infrequently. The most frequently evaluated QI strategies across all study arms were PE, PSM and CM, while the least frequently evaluated QI strategies included AF, FI and CQI. Our confidence in the evidence is limited due to a lack of information on how studies were conducted.  Four QI strategies (CM, TC, PE, PSM) were consistently identified as 'Top' across the majority of outcomes. All QI strategies were ranked as 'Top' for at least one key outcome. The majority of effects of individual QI strategies were modest, but when used in combination could result in meaningful population-level improvements across the majority of outcomes. The median number of QI strategies in multicomponent QI programmes was three.  Combinations of the three most effective QI strategies were estimated to lead to the below effects:  - PR + PSM + CE: decrease in HbA1c by 0.41% (credibility interval (CrI) -0.61 to -0.22) when baseline HbA1c < 8.3%; - CM + PE + EPR: decrease in HbA1c by 0.62% (CrI -0.84 to -0.39) when baseline HbA1c > 8.3%;  - PE + TC + PSM: reduction in SBP by 2.14 mmHg (CrI -3.80 to -0.52) when baseline SBP < 136 mmHg; - CM + TC + PSM: reduction in SBP by 4.39 mmHg (CrI -6.20 to -2.56) when baseline SBP > 136 mmHg;  - TC + PE + CM: LDL-C lowering of 5.73 mg/dL (CrI -7.93 to -3.61) when baseline LDL < 107 mg/dL; - TC + CM + CR: LDL-C lowering by 5.52 mg/dL (CrI -9.24 to -1.89) when baseline LDL > 107 mg/dL. Assuming a baseline screening rate of 50%, the three most effective QI strategies were estimated to lead to an absolute improvement of 33% in retinopathy screening (PE + PR + TC) and 38% absolute increase in foot screening (PE + TC + Other).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is a significant body of evidence about QI programmes to improve the management of diabetes. Multicomponent QI programmes for diabetes care (comprised of effective QI strategies) may achieve meaningful population-level improvements across the majority of outcomes. For health system decision-makers, the evidence summarised in this review can be used to identify strategies to include in QI programmes. For researchers, this synthesis identifies higher-priority QI strategies to examine in further research regarding how to optimise their evaluation and effects. We will maintain this as a living systematic review.

Deaf Weight Wise: A novel randomized clinical trial with Deaf sign language users

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to address the absence of evidence-based weight-control programs developed for use with Deaf people.

METHODS

Community-based participatory research informed the design of the Deaf Weight Wise (DWW) trial and intervention. DWW focuses primarily on healthy lifestyle and weight through change in diet and exercise. The study enrolled 104 Deaf adults aged 40 to 70 years with BMI of 25 to 45 from community settings in Rochester, New York, and randomized participants to immediate intervention (n = 48) or 1-year delayed intervention (n = 56). The delayed intervention serves as a no-intervention comparison until the trial midpoint. The study collected data five times (every 6 months) from baseline to 24 months. All DWW intervention leaders and participants are Deaf people who use American Sign Language (ASL).

RESULTS

At 6 months, the difference in mean weight change for the immediate-intervention arm versus the delayed-intervention arm (no intervention yet) was -3.4 kg (multiplicity-adjusted p = 0.0424; 95% CI: -6.1 to -0.8 kg). Most (61.6%) in the immediate arm lost ≥5% of baseline weight versus 18.1% in the no-intervention-yet arm (p < 0.001). Participant engagement indicators include mean attendance of 11/16 sessions (69%), and 92% completed 24-month data collection.

CONCLUSION

DWW, a community-engaged, culturally appropriate, and language-accessible behavioral weight loss intervention, was successful with Deaf ASL users.

What is the volume, diversity and nature of recent, robust evidence for the use of peer support in health and social care? An evidence and gap map

Background

Peer support interventions involve people drawing on shared personal experience to help one another improve their physical or mental health, or reduce social isolation. If effective, they may also lessen the demand on health and social care services, reducing costs. However, the design and delivery of peer support varies greatly, from the targeted problem or need, the setting and mode of delivery, to the number and content of sessions. Robust evidence is essential for policymakers commissioning peer support and practitioners delivering services in health care and community settings. This map draws together evidence on different types of peer support to support the design and delivery of interventions.

Objectives

The aim of this map was to provide an overview of the volume, diversity and nature of recent, high quality evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the use of peer support in health and social care.

Search Methods

We searched MEDLINE, seven further bibliographic databases, and Epistemonikos for systematic reviews (in October 2020), randomised controlled trials (in March 2021) and economic evaluations (in May 2021) on the effectiveness of peer support interventions in health and social care. We also conducted searches of Google Scholar, two trial registers, PROSPERO, and completed citation chasing on included studies.

Selection Criteria

Systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials and economic evaluations were included in the map. Included studies focused on adult populations with a defined health or social care need, were conducted in high-income countries, and published since 2015. Any measure of effectiveness was included, as was any form of peer support providing the peer had shared experience with the participant and a formalised role.

Data Collection and Analysis

Data were extracted on the type of peer support intervention and outcomes assessed in included studies. Standardised tools were used to assess study quality for all studies: assessing the methodological quality of systematic reviews 2 for systematic reviews; Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomised controlled trials; and consensus health economic criteria list for economic evaluations.

Main Results

We included 91 studies: 32 systematic reviews; 52 randomised controlled trials; and 7 economic evaluations. Whilst most included systematic reviews and economic evaluations were assessed to be of low or medium quality, the majority of randomised controlled trials were of higher quality. There were concentrations of evidence relating to different types of peer support, including education, psychological support, self-care/self-management and social support. Populations with long-term health conditions were most commonly studied. The majority of studies measured health-related indicators as outcomes; few studies assessed cost-effectiveness. Studies were unevenly distributed geographically, with most being conducted in the USA. Several gaps were evident regarding the delivery of peer support, particularly the integration of peers and professionals in delivering support and interventions of longer duration.

Authors' Conclusions

Although there is evidence available to inform the commissioning and delivery of peer support in health and social care, there are also clear gaps that need to be addressed to further support provision, particularly regarding cost-effectiveness. The effectiveness of peer support in different countries, with varying health and social care systems, is a priority for future research, as is the integration of peers with professionals in delivering peer support.

Development of Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles for Diabetes, a culturally tailored diabetes self-management education and support programme for Black-British adults: A participatory research approach

AIMS

To develop an evidence-based, culturally tailored, diabetes self-management education and support programme for Black-British adults, called Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles for Diabetes (HEAL-D), using participatory methods to engage key stakeholders in the intervention design process.

METHODS

Black-British adults living with type 2 diabetes, healthcare professionals and community leaders were engaged in an intervention development study. The intervention structure, format, content and delivery were developed through three phases of participatory research: Phase 1, formative research, involved focus groups and interviews; interactive co-development workshops were conducted in Phase 2; and Phase 3 focused on materials development.

RESULTS

In Phase 1, focus groups and interviews identified the importance of nurturing collectivism, a reliance on informal sources of information/advice, barriers to attending appointments associated with competing priorities of work, travel and carer commitments, and a preference for directness and simple, clear advice/messages. A priority for healthcare professionals was the intervention embedding within current primary care structures and aligning with incentivised targets/metrics. Phase 2 (workshops) highlighted key requirements: avoidance of medical settings, appropriately trained and culturally knowledgeable educators, flexible appointments, preference for verbal and visual information and avoidance of technical/medical terminology. In Phase 3 (materials development), culturally sensitive videos, short films and information booklets were developed to convey educational messages, and food photography was used to provide culturally relevant dietary advice.

CONCLUSIONS

Participatory methods provide a means to understand the needs of specific communities. This approach enables the development of healthcare interventions that are sensitive to the needs of service users and providers.

Evaluation of an mHealth-enabled hierarchical diabetes management intervention in primary care in China (ROADMAP): A cluster randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Glycemic control remains suboptimal in developing countries due to critical system deficiencies. An innovative mobile health (mHealth)-enabled hierarchical diabetes management intervention was introduced and evaluated in China with the purpose of achieving better control of type 2 diabetes in primary care.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

A community-based cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among registered patients with type 2 diabetes in primary care from June 2017 to July 2019. A total of 19,601 participants were recruited from 864 communities (clusters) across 25 provinces in China, and 19,546 completed baseline assessment. Moreover, 576 communities (13,037 participants) were centrally randomized to the intervention and 288 communities (6,509 participants) to usual care. The intervention was centered on a tiered care team-delivered mHealth-mediated service package, initiated by monthly blood glucose monitoring at each structured clinic visit. Capacity building and quarterly performance review strategies upheld the quality of delivered primary care. The primary outcome was control of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c; <7.0%), assessed at baseline and 12 months. The secondary outcomes include the individual/combined control rates of blood glucose, blood pressure (BP), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C); changes in levels of HbA1c, BP, LDL-C, fasting blood glucose (FBG), and body weight; and episodes of hypoglycemia. Data were analyzed using intention-to-treat (ITT) generalized estimating equation (GEE) models, accounting for clustering and baseline values of the analyzed outcomes. After 1-year follow-up, 17,554 participants (89.8%) completed the end-of-study (EOS) assessment, with 45.1% of them from economically developed areas, 49.9% from urban areas, 60.5 (standard deviation [SD] 8.4) years of age, 41.2% male, 6.0 years of median diabetes duration, HbA1c level of 7.87% (SD 1.92%), and 37.3% with HbA1c <7.0% at baseline. Compared with usual care, the intervention led to an absolute improvement in the HbA1c control rate of 7.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.0% to 10.0%) and a relative improvement of 18.6% (relative risk [RR] 1.186, 95% CI 1.105 to 1.267) and an absolute improvement in the composite ABC control (HbA1c <7.0%, BP <140/80 mm Hg, and LDL-C <2.6 mmol/L) rate of 1.9% (95% CI 0.5 to 3.5) and a relative improvement of 21.8% (RR 1.218, 95% CI 1.062 to 1.395). No difference was found on hypoglycemia episode and weight gain between groups. Study limitations include noncentralized laboratory tests except for HbA1c, and caution should be exercised when extrapolating the findings to patients not registered in primary care system.

CONCLUSIONS

The mHealth-enabled hierarchical diabetes management intervention effectively improved diabetes control in primary care and has the potential to be transferred to other chronic conditions management in similar contexts.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) IOC-17011325.

Culturally tailored lifestyle interventions for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes in adults of Black African ancestry: a systematic review of tailoring methods and their effectiveness

Objective:

To evaluate the cultural tailoring methods used in type 2 diabetes (T2D), prevention and management interventions for populations of Black African ancestry and to examine their effectiveness on measures of glycaemia.

Design:

Three databases were searched in October 2020; eligible studies used a randomised controlled trial (RCT) design to evaluate the effectiveness of culturally tailored lifestyle interventions compared with usual care for the prevention or management of T2D in adults of Black African ancestry. Cultural tailoring methods were evaluated using the Facilitator-Location-Language-Messaging (FiLLM) framework, whereby facilitator refers to delivery by individuals from the target community, language focuses on using native language or language appropriate to literacy levels, location refers to delivery in meaningful settings, and messaging is tailoring with relevant content and modes of delivery.

Results:

Sixteen RCT were identified, all from USA. The mean age of participants was 55 years, majority female. Six of fifteen RCT reported significant improvements in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) at 6 and 8 months; one, in prediabetes, reported significantly improved fasting plasma glucose. Diabetes knowledge improvement (5/7 studies) was associated with HbA1c improvement. The majority tailored to location (12/16), facilitators (11/16), messaging (9/16) and language (6/16) domains of FiLLM. Those with ethnically matched facilitators and those which tailored to more than one domain showed the greatest HbA1C benefits.

Conclusion:

This evidence supports the effectiveness of culturally tailored lifestyle interventions for T2D management in populations of Black African ancestry, with further RCT needed to evaluate interventions for T2D prevention and for communities outside of the USA.

Engaging stakeholders in the refinement of an evidence-based remotely delivered epilepsy self-management program for rural populations

A growing body of research supports self-management approaches that can improve outcomes in people living with epilepsy (PLWE). An evidence-based remotely delivered self-management program (SMART) that was successfully delivered in an urban/suburban setting has the potential to be particularly helpful to PLWE who live in rural communities, where heavy stigma burden and limited access to healthcare is common. In this Phase 1 exploratory study, focus groups of key rural stakeholders (PLWE, family members, care providers) were used to: (1) gather information on factors that may impede or facilitate participation in SMART and (2) elicit overall perceptions of the program, as well as suggestions and feedback for refining it for implementation in Phase 2 of the randomized controlled study (RCT). Qualitative data analysis revealed that focus group participants identified geographic and social isolation, and the more limited access to epilepsy care, as the major barriers to epilepsy self-management for rural populations. However, they felt strongly that SMART could fill an epilepsy care gap in rural communities, and provided suggestions for recruitment and retention strategies of subjects, as well as improvement/modifications to the program curriculum for the Phase 2 RCT.

Effectiveness of a physical activity intervention program using peer support among sedentary women in Thiruvananthapuram City, India: results of a non-randomized quasi experimental study

Background: Interventions to promote physical activity are very limited in India. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and sustainability of a peer support based physical activity (PA) intervention targeting sedentary women in Thiruvananthapuram City, India .

Methods: We used a non-randomized quasi-experimental study design with a comparison group. Using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) classifications, 401 sedentary women aged 18-64 years were selected by multistage cluster sampling and enrolled into the intervention (n=200) and control (n=201) arms. For the intervention arm, a culturally relevant intervention was delivered to the community stakeholders, participants and peer leaders at three subsequent intensities: intense (three months), less intense (three months) and no intervention (six months). The intervention consisted of a non-communicable disease (NCD) risk assessment, educational workshop, group counselling sessions, goal setting, handbook and peer support. The control participants received printed information on NCDs and their risk factors. PA assessments and anthropometric measurements were made at baseline, 4 ^th, 7 ^th and 13 ^th months. Mixed model analysis was done to assess the difference in PA levels between groups at various time points.

Results: The proportion of women who were physically active (≥600 MET minutes per week) was significantly higher in the intervention arm compared to the control arm at 4 ^th (58.5 % vs 10%, p= 0.001), 7 ^th (48.5% vs 6%, p= 0.001)) and 13 ^th  month (29.6 % vs 0.6%, p =0.001), respectively. Improvements from baseline PA expended by the intervention arm compared to the control arm in MET-min / week were 990, 575, and 466 at 4 ^th, 7 ^th and 13 ^th months, respectively.

Conclusions: A PA intervention using peer support was found to be effective among women in India. Improvements in PA in the intervention arm decreased over time particularly after the no-intervention phase indicating the need for integrating it with community organizations.

Lifestyle interventions for type 2 diabetes management among migrants and ethnic minorities living in industrialized countries: a systematic review and meta-analyses

The objective of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions to improve the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among migrants and ethnic minorities. Major searched databases included MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE (via Ovid) and CINAHL. The selection of studies and data extraction followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. In the meta-analysis, significant heterogeneity was detected among the studies (I2 >50%), and hence a random effects model was used. Subgroup analyses were performed to compare the effect of lifestyle interventions according to intervention approaches (peer-led vs community health workers (CHWs)-led). A total of 17 studies were included in this review which used interventions delivered by CHWs or peer supporters or combination of both. The majority of the studies assessed effectiveness of key primary (hemoglobin (HbA1c), lipids, fasting plasma glucose) and secondary outcomes (weight, body mass index, blood pressure, physical activity, alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, food habits and healthcare utilization). Meta-analyses showed lifestyle interventions were associated with a small but statistically significant reduction in HbA1c level (-0.18%; 95% CI -0.32% to -0.04%, p=0.031). In subgroup analyses, the peer-led interventions showed relatively better HbA1c improvement than CHW-led interventions, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.379). Seven studies presented intervention costs, which ranged from US$131 to US$461 per participant per year. We conclude that lifestyle interventions using either CHWs or peer supporters or a combination of both have shown modest effectiveness for T2DM management among migrants of different background and origin and ethnic minorities. The evidence base is promising in terms of developing culturally appropriate, clinically sound and cost-effective intervention approaches to respond to the growing and diverse migrants and ethnic minorities affected by diabetes worldwide.

Focus on the Positive: A Qualitative Study of Positive Experiences Living With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes

The purpose of this study was to identify positive experiences associated with diabetes from the perspective of adults diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. We conducted in-depth face-to-face and telephone interviews with adults with diabetes. Participants focused on positive and supportive experiences with their peers and community, improved health behaviors, personal growth, and engagement in diabetes advocacy. Communicating positive experiences about diabetes may help clinicians and educators reframe the negative messages commonly shared with people with diabetes.

Patient-provided e-support in reduced intensity obesity treatment: The INSPIRE randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

There are two types of patient supporters, peers (two individuals initiating health behavior change who support one another) and mentors (a previously successful patient who supports incoming patients). Social comparison theory suggests that peers and mentors may elicit social comparison processes (patients may compare their progress to that of their peer/mentor), and these social comparisons could impact treatment outcomes. This randomized controlled trial is the first to examine the differential impact of peers and mentors on obesity treatment outcomes and social comparison processes when added to reduced intensity treatment.

METHOD

Participants (N = 278) were randomly assigned to reduced intensity behavioral weight loss treatment alone (rBWL), rBWL plus peer e-support (rBWL + Peer), or rBWL plus mentor e-support (rBWL + Mentor). rBWL involved periodic group sessions that decreased over time; when group sessions decreased, intensity of peer/mentor e-support increased. Weight and social comparison processes were assessed throughout the 12-month intervention.

RESULTS

There was a significant treatment effect; when group sessions became less frequent and peer/mentor e-support became more frequent, rBWL + Peer had significantly greater weight loss than rBWL alone, and rBWL + Mentor was not significantly different from the other two. Social comparison processes differed by treatment arm; rBWL + Peer participants tended to report more lateral social comparisons ("my weight loss progress is 'similar' to my peer's"), whereas rBWL + Mentor participants reported more upward comparisons ("my weight loss progress is 'worse than' my mentor's"). Upward comparisons were associated with poorer weight loss outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Peer e-support may be an effective, low-cost, sustainable method for improving longer-term weight loss outcomes in reduced intensity obesity treatment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Providing culturally sensitive diabetes self-management education and support for black African and Caribbean communities: a qualitative exploration of the challenges experienced by healthcare practitioners in inner London

INTRODUCTION

Poor access to, and engagement with, diabetes healthcare is a significant issue for black British communities who are disproportionately burdened by type 2 diabetes (T2D). Tackling these inequalities is a healthcare priority. The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of healthcare practitioners providing diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) to African and Caribbean adults living with T2D to inform the development of a culturally tailored DSMES program.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were carried out with a range of healthcare practitioners including diabetes specialist nurses, dietitians and general practitioners based in primary care in inner London. Thematic content analysis was used to identify barriers and facilitators relating to the provision of effective DSMES.

RESULTS

Ten interviews were conducted. There was a strong consensus among healthcare practitioners for the importance of DSMES in T2D healthcare. However, practitioners discussed this area of practice as overwhelmingly challenging and recognized a wide range of barriers that they face. Four themes were identified: (1) The tension between structural and responsive care needs, particularly with growing numbers of patients alongside incentivized targets driving a care agenda that does not meet the needs of diverse communities; (2) challenges posed by cultural beliefs and practices, particularly a distrust of conventional medicine, rejection of body mass index standards and a belief in 'God's will'; (3) building relationships through cultural understanding: insiders and outsiders, particularly the benefits of racial concordance and cultural knowledge/resources and (4) getting the messages across, particularly the need to address gaps in structured education.

CONCLUSION

Provision of culturally sensitive DSMES is a challenging area of practice for practitioners, who recognize the need for more training and resources to support them in developing cultural competence. Nonetheless, practitioners recognize the importance of DSMES and are striving to provide culturally sensitive care to their patients.

Talk to PAPA: A Systematic Review of Patient/Participant (PAPA) Feedback on Interactions With Community Health Workers Using a Depth Analysis Approach

Because of their shared backgrounds, community health workers' (CHWs) care of patients/program participants (PAPAs) is assumed to be acceptable, and often not evaluated empirically. Using PRISMA guidelines, we reviewed 9560 articles from 5 databases, selected 37 articles for full-text review, and developed a 5-dimensional depth analysis (focus, context, meaning, range, and voices) to characterize quality/quantity of PAPA feedback. Depth analyses clarified a spectrum of PAPA responses from extremely positive to ambivalence to outright distrust and frustration with perceived CHW limitations. Designing evaluations with 5-dimensional depth analysis can enhance PAPA feedback quality and improve evidence-based, patient-centered, CHW care delivery.

Novel Digital Architecture of a "Low Carb Program" for Initiating and Maintaining Long-Term Sustainable Health-Promoting Behavior Change in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Globally, the burden of noncommunicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes is crippling health care systems. Type 2 diabetes, a disease linked with obesity, affects 1 in every 30 people today and is expected to affect 1 in 10 people by 2030. Current provisions are struggling to manage the trajectory of type 2 diabetes prevalence. Offline, face-to-face education for patients with type 2 diabetes has shown to lack long-term impact or the capacity for widespread democratized adoption. Digitally delivered interventions have been developed for patients with type 2 diabetes, and the evidence shows that some interventions provide the capacity to support hyperpersonalization and real-time continuous support to patients, which can result in significant engagement and health outcomes. However, digital health app engagement is notoriously difficult to achieve. This paper reviews the digital behavior change architecture of the Low Carb Program and the application of health behavioral theory underpinning its development and use in scaling novel methods of engaging the population with type 2 diabetes and supporting long-term behavior change.

Assessing Informal and Formal Diabetes Knowledge in African American Older Adults With Uncontrolled Diabetes

Some researchers attribute the excess rates of diabetes complications among African American older adults compared to other racial/ethnic subgroups to low diabetes knowledge. Diabetes knowledge measures have a biomedical orientation, including knowledge of glycemic control and using diet and exercise to control blood sugar. Measures do not assess informal knowledge that patients obtain outside of the clinical environment. The distinction between formal and informal knowledge is meaningful for cultural groups such as African American individuals who have historically transferred knowledge about maintaining their health "through the grapevine." A qualitative approach was used to understand participants' informal diabetes knowledge. Three major themes identified addressed the threat that participants perceived when diagnosed, the social construction of diabetes knowledge through their lived and observed experiences, and the limited role that clinicians played in participants' diabetes knowledge acquisition. Findings reveal ways nurses can individualize the diabetes education they provide to African American older adults based on their experiential understanding. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 45(2), 35-41.].

Does task delegation to non-physician health professionals improve quality of diabetes care? Results of a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

As a result of unhealthy lifestyles, reduced numbers of healthcare providers are having to deal with an increasing number of diabetes patients. In light of this shortage of physicians and nursing staff, new concepts of care are needed. The aim of this scoping review is to review the literature and examine the effects of task delegation to non-physician health professionals, with a further emphasis on inter-professional care.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Systematic searches were performed using the PubMed, Embase and Google Scholar databases to retrieve papers published between January 1994 and December 2017. Randomised/non-randomised controlled trials and studies with a before/after design that described the delegation of tasks from physicians to non-physicians in diabetes care were included in the search. This review is a subgroup analysis that further assesses all the studies conducted using a team-based approach.

RESULTS

A total of 45 studies with 12,092 patients met the inclusion criteria. Most of the interventions were performed in an outpatient setting with type-2 diabetes mellitus patients. The non-physician healthcare professionals involved in the team were nurses, pharmacists, community health workers and dietitians. Most studies showed significant improvements in glycaemic control and high patient satisfaction, while there were no indications that the task delegation affected quality of life scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the review suggest that task delegation can provide equivalent glycaemic control and potentially lead to an improvement in the quality of care. However, this review revealed a lack of clinical endpoints, as well as an inconsistency between the biochemical outcome parameters and the patient-centred outcome parameters. Given the vast differences between the individual healthcare systems used around the world, further high-quality research with an emphasis on long-term outcome effects and the expertise of non-physicians is needed.

Insights Into Veterans' Perspectives on a Peer Support Program for Glycemic Management

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to explore the mentor-mentee relationship in veterans with type 2 diabetes and gain insight into successful pairings.

METHODS

Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted as part of a peer mentoring randomized controlled trial to understand participants' experiences, their relationship with their partner, and how the intervention affected self-care behaviors. Purposive sampling was done to ensure adequate representation of mentees who made large strides in reaching their glycemic targets, those who made marginal improvements toward their glycemic goals, and those who got worse. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for salient themes.

RESULTS

The intervention was well received, with most participants describing it as valuable. Participants perceived the intervention to have a number of benefits, including accessible support, enhanced self-confidence, increased accountability, better self-efficacy, improved glycemic management, and a fulfilled sense of altruism. Participants did encounter barriers, including logistical, interpersonal, and individual obstacles. The more successful mentees tended to be more effusive in their description of their mentors, endorsed a stronger sense of connection to their mentor, described a more structured interaction with their mentor, and tended to be more complimentary of the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Large peer support programs are appealing and well received. These programs can be optimized by selecting naturally inclined mentors, providing additional training to introduce more structure into mentorship interactions, and targeting mentees who are not struggling with overwhelming comorbidities.

Implementation and dissemination of an African American popular opinion model to improve lupus awareness: an academic-community partnership

OBJECTIVE

Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that disproportionately affects African Americans. We adapted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Popular Opinion Leader model to implement an intervention tailored for African American individuals that leverages an academic-community partnership and community-based social networks to disseminate culturally appropriate lupus education.

METHODS

Academic rheumatologists, social scientists, and researchers in Boston, MA and Chicago, IL partnered with local lupus support groups, community organizations, and churches in neighborhoods with higher proportions of African Americans to develop curriculum and recruit community leaders with and without lupus (Popular Opinion Leaders; POLs). POLs attended four training sessions focused on lupus education, strategies to educate others, and a review of research methods. POLs disseminated information through their social networks and recorded their impact, which was mapped using a geographic information system framework.

RESULTS

We trained 18 POLs in greater Boston and 19 in greater Chicago: 97% were African American, 97% were female; and the mean age was 57 years. Fifty-nine percent of Boston POLs and 68% of Chicago POLs had lupus. POLs at both sites engaged members of their social networks and communities in conversations about lupus, health disparities, and the importance of care. Boston POLs documented 97 encounters with 547 community members reached. Chicago POLs documented 124 encounters with 4083 community members reached.

CONCLUSIONS

An adapted, community-based POL model can be used to disseminate lupus education and increase awareness in African American communities. Further research is needed to determine the degree to which this may begin to reduce disparities in access to care and outcomes.

Peer approaches to self-management (PALS): comparing a peer mentoring approach for disease self-management in African American women with lupus with a social support control: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) is a chronic autoimmune disease that is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, healthcare costs and decreased quality of life. African Americans in the USA have three to four times greater prevalence of SLE, risk of developing SLE at an earlier age, and SLE-related disease activity, damage, and mortality compared with Caucasians, with the highest rates experienced by African American women. There is strong evidence that patient-level factors are associated with outcomes, which justifies targeting them with intervention. While evidence-based self-management interventions that incorporate both social support and health education have reduced pain, improved function, and delayed disability among patients with SLE, African Americans and women are still disproportionately impacted by SLE. Peer mentoring interventions are effective in other chronic conditions that disproportionately affect minorities, such as diabetes mellitus, HIV, and kidney disease, but there is currently no empirically tested peer mentoring intervention developed for patients with SLE. Preliminary data from our group suggest that peer mentoring improves self-management, reduces disease activity, and improves health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in African American women with SLE.

METHODS

This study will test an innovative, manualized peer mentorship program designed to provide modeling and reinforcement by peers (mentors) to other African American women with SLE (mentees) to encourage them to engage in activities that promote disease self-management. Through a randomized, "mentored" or "support group" controlled design, we will assess the efficacy and mechanism(s) of this intervention in self-management, disease activity, and HRQOL.

DISCUSSION

This is the first study to test peer mentorship as an alternative strategy to improve outcomes in African American women with SLE. This could result in a model for other programs that aim to improve disease self-management, disease activity, and HRQOL in African American women suffering from chronic illness. The peer mentoring approach is uniquely fitted to African Americans, and this intervention has the potential to lead to health improvements for African American women with SLE that have not been attainable with other interventions. This would significantly reduce disparities and have considerable public health impact.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03734055 . Registered on 27 November 2018.

The use of wearable technology to monitor physical activity in patients with COPD: a literature review

Background: Physical activity is an important predictor for survival in patients with COPD. Wearable technology, such as pedometer or accelerometer, may offer an opportunity to quantify physical activity and evaluate related health benefits in these patients.

Objectives: To assess the performance of wearable technology in monitoring and improving physical activity in COPD patients from published studies.

Methods: Literature search of Medline, Cochrane, Dare, Embase and PubMed databases was made to find relevant articles that used wearable technology to monitor physical activity in COPD patients.

Results: We identified 13 studies that used wearable technology, a pedometer or an accelerator, to monitor physical activity in COPD patients. Of these, six studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which used the monitors as part of the intervention. Two studies reported the same outcomes and comparable units. They had measured the difference that the intervention makes on the number of steps taken daily by the patients. The results were highly heterogeneous with I²=92%. The random-effects model gave an effect outcome on the number of steps taken daily of 1,821.01 [−282.71; 3,924.74] in favor of the wearable technology. Four of the 13 studies have reported technical issues with the use of the wearable technology, including high signal-to-noise ratio, memory storage problems and inaccuracy of counts. While other studies did not mention any technical issues, it is not clear whether these did not experience them or chose not to report them.

Conclusions: Our literature search has shown that data on the use of wearable technology to monitor physical activity in COPD patients are limited by the small number of studies and their heterogeneous study design. Further research and better-designed RCTs are needed to provide reliable results before physical activity monitors can be implemented routinely for COPD patients.

Effectiveness of peer led intervention in improvement of clinical outcomes among diabetes mellitus and hypertension patients-A systematic review and meta-analysis

Peer-led intervention allows the patients to develop knowledge, skills and confidence in managing their own conditions. Hence this review was done to assess the effectiveness of peer-led intervention in improving the clinical outcomes of DM and HTN patients. We conducted systematic search in Medline, CENTRAL, Sciencedirect and Google-Scholar from inception till May 2018 and retrieved 3654 citations. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effects model and pooled mean difference (MD) was reported with 95% CI. Publication bias was assessed using Egger's test. 29 trials (26 DM and 3 HTN) with 6363 participants were included. There was positive effect of peer led intervention on DM and HTN with pooled MD of -0.28% [95%CI: -0.45 to -0.11] and -7.52mmHg [95%CI: -14.39 to -0.66]. There was significant heterogeneity and publication bias in both DM and HTN trials. Sensitivity analysis showed only little improvement in the final estimate. Peer support intervention is effective and causes statistically significant reduction in HbA1C and systolic blood pressure among DM and HTN patients.

The effect of diabetes self-management education on HbA1c and quality of life in African-Americans: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Type 2 diabetes presents a major morbidity and mortality burden in the United States. Diabetes self-management education (DSME) is an intervention associated with improved hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c) and quality of life(QOL), and is recommended for all individuals with type 2 diabetes. African-Americans have disproportionate type 2 diabetes morbidity and mortality, yet no prior meta-analyses have examined DSME outcomes exclusively in this population. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the impact of DSME on HbA1c and QOL in African-Americans compared to usual care.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials, cluster-randomized trials, and quasi-experimental interventions were included. 352 citations were retrieved; 279 abstracts were reviewed, and 44 full-text articles were reviewed. Fourteen studies were eligible for systematic review and 8 for HbA1c meta-analysis; QOL measures were too heterogeneous to pool. Heterogeneity of HbA1c findings was assessed with Cochran’s Q and I².

Results

HbA1c weighted mean difference between intervention and usual care participants was not significant: − 0.08%[− 0.40–0.23];χ² = 84.79 (p < .001), I² = 92%, (n = 1630). Four of five studies measuring QOL reported significant improvements for intervention participants.

Conclusions

Meta-analysis results showed non-significant effect of DSME on HbA1c in African-Americans. QOL did show improvement and is an important DSME outcome to measure in future trials. Further research is needed to understand effectiveness of DSME on HbA1c in this population.

Trial registration

PROSPERO registration: CRD42017057282.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-018-3186-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The Effects of Structured Exercise or Lifestyle Behavior Interventions on Long-Term Physical Activity Level and Health Outcomes in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression

BACKGROUND

Systematically evaluate the effects of structured exercise and behavioral intervention (physical activity [PA] alone/PA + diet) on long-term PA in type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

Systematic search of 11 databases (inception to March, 2017). Randomized controlled trials investigating structured exercise/behavioral interventions in type 2 diabetes reporting PA outcomes ≥6 months were selected.

RESULTS

Among 107,797 citations retrieved, 23 randomized controlled trials (including 18 behavioral programs and 5 structured exercise) met inclusion criteria (n = 9640, 43.6% men, age = 60.0 (4.0) y). All structured exercise trials demonstrated increased objective PA outcomes relative to control (pooling was inappropriate; I² = 92%). Of 18 behavioral interventions, 10 increased PA significantly, with effect sizes ranging from 0.2 to 6.6 (pooling was inappropriate; I² = 96%). After removing 1 outlier, the remaining 17 studies significantly improved PA (pooled effect size = 0.34), although smaller compared with structured exercise. After removing the outlier, meta-regression also revealed significant direct relationships between total contacts (r = .50, P < .01) and more face-to-face counseling (r = .75, P < .001) and increased PA. However, long-term changes in PA and HbA_1c were not related.

CONCLUSION

Both structured exercise and  behavioral interventions increased PA in type 2 diabetes, although effect sizes were larger for supervised exercise. The effectiveness of behavioral programs was improved when delivery included more extensive and face-to-face contact.

Effect of peer support interventions on cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults with diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Peer support by persons affected with diabetes improves peer supporter's diabetes self-management skills. Peer support interventions by individuals who have diabetes or are affected by diabetes have been shown to improve glycemic control; however, its effects on other cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults with diabetes are unknown. We aimed to estimate the effect of peer support interventions on cardiovascular disease risk factors other than glycemic control in adults with diabetes.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing peer support interventions to a control condition in adults affected by diabetes that measured any cardiovascular disease risk factors [Body Mass Index, smoking, diet, physical activity, cholesterol level, glucose control and blood pressure]. Quality was assessed by Cochrane's risk of bias tool. We calculated standardized mean difference effect sizes using random effects models.

RESULTS

We retrieved 438 citations from multiple databases including OVID MEDLINE, Cochrane database and Scopus, and author searches. Of 233 abstracts reviewed, 16 articles met inclusion criteria. A random effects model in a total of 3243 participants showed a positive effect of peer support interventions on systolic BP with a pooled effect size of 2.07 mmHg (CI 0.35 mmHg to 3.79 mmHg, p = 0.02); baseline pooled systolic blood pressure was 137 mmHg. There was a non-significant effect of peer support interventions on diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index, diet and physical activity. Cardiovascular disease risk factors other than glycemic control outcomes were secondary outcomes in most studies and baseline values were normal or mildly elevated. Only one study reported smoking outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a small (2 mmHg) positive effect of peer support interventions on systolic blood pressure in adults with diabetes whose baseline blood pressure was on average minimally elevated. Additional studies need to be conducted to further understand the effect of peer support interventions on high-risk cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults with diabetes.

Determinants of hospitalization in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes receiving a peer support intervention and JADE integrated care: the PEARL randomised controlled trial

Background

In a randomized controlled trial of 628 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes receiving multidisciplinary care in the Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation (JADE) Progam, 372 were randomized to receive additional telephone-based peer support (Peer Empowerment And Remote communication Linked by information technology, PEARL) intervention. After 12 months, all-cause hospitalization was reduced by half in the PEARL group especially in those with high Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) scores.

Methods

We used stratified analyses, negative binomial regression, and structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine the inter-relationships between emotions, self-management, cardiometabolic risk factors, and hospitalization.

Results

Hospitalized patients were older, more likely to have heart or kidney disease, and negative emotions than those without hospitalization. Patients with high DASS score who did not receive peer support had the highest hospitalization rates. After adjustment for confounders, peer support reduced the frequency of hospitalizations by 48% with a relative risk of 0.52 (95% CI 0·35-0·79;p = 0·0018). Using SEM, improvement of negative emotions reduced treatment nonadherence (Est = 0.240, p = 0.034) and hospitalizations (Est=-0.218, p = 0.001). The latter was also reduced by an interactive term of peer support and chronic kidney disease (Est = 0.833, p = < 0.001) and that of peer support and heart disease (Est = 0.455, p = 0.001).

Conclusions

In type 2 diabetes, improvement of negative emotions and peer support reduced hospitalizations, especially in those with comorbidities, in part mediated through improving treatment nonadherence. Integrating peer support is feasible and adds value to multidisciplinary care, augmented by information technology, especially in patients with comorbidities.

Trial registration

NCT00950716 Registered July 31, 2009.

How can clinical practices pragmatically increase physical activity for patients with type 2 diabetes? A systematic review

Although regular physical activity (PA) is a cornerstone of treatment for type 2 diabetes (T2D), most adults with T2D are sedentary. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have proven the effectiveness of PA behavioral interventions for adults with T2D but have rarely been conducted in healthcare settings. We sought to identify PA interventions that are effective and practical to implement in clinical practice settings. Our first aim was to use the valid Pragmatic-Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary 2 (PRECIS-2) tool to assess the potential for future implementation of PA interventions in clinical practice settings. Our second aim was to identify interventions that effectively increased PA and glycemic control among the interventions in the top tertile of PRECIS-2 scores. We searched PubMed MEDLINE from January 1980 through May 2015 for RCTs of behavioral PA interventions coordinated by clinical practices for patients with T2D. Dual investigators assessed pragmatism by PRECIS-2 scores, and study effectiveness was extracted from original RCT publications. The PRECIS-2 scores of the 46 behavioral interventions (n = 13,575 participants) ranged from 3.0 to 4.8, where 5 is the most pragmatic score. In the most pragmatic tertile of interventions (n = 16) by PRECIS-2 scores, 30.8 and 31.3% of interventions improved PA outcomes and hemoglobin A1c, respectively. A minority of published evidence-based PA interventions for adults with T2D were both effective and pragmatic for clinical implementation. These should be tested for dissemination using implementation trial designs.

Interventions Promoting Physical Activity in African American Women: An Integrative Review

BACKGROUND

Physical inactivity significantly impacts mortality worldwide. Physical inactivity is a modifiable risk factor for obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions. African American women in the United States have the highest rates of physical inactivity when compared with other gender/ethnic groups. A paucity of research promoting physical activity (PA) in African American women has been previously identified. The purpose of this review was to identify intervention strategies and outcomes in studies designed to promote PA in African American women.

METHODS

Interventions that promoted PA in African American women published between 2000 and May 2015 were included. A comprehensive search of the literature was performed in Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, PsycINFO, CINAHL Complete, and MEDLINE Complete databases. Data were abstracted and synthesized to examine interventions, study designs, theoretical frameworks, and measures of PA.

RESULTS

Mixed findings (both significant and nonsignificant) were identified. Interventions included faith-based, group-based, and individually focused programs. All studies (n = 32) included measures of PA; among the studies, self-report was the predominant method for obtaining information. Half of the 32 studies focused on PA, and the remaining studies focused on PA and nutrition. Most studies reported an increase in PA or adherence to PA. This review reveals promising strategies for promoting PA.

CONCLUSIONS

Future studies should include long-term follow-up, larger sample sizes, and objective measures of PA. Additional research promoting PA in African American women is warranted, particularly in studies that focus on increasing PA in older African American women.

Diabetes structured self-management education programmes: a narrative review and current innovations

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are associated with long-term complications that can be prevented or delayed by intensive glycaemic management. People who are empowered and skilled to self-manage their diabetes have improved health outcomes. Over the past 20 years, diabetes self-management education programmes have been shown to be efficacious and cost-effective in promotion and facilitation of self-management, with improvements in patients' knowledge, skills, and motivation leading to improved biomedical, behavioural, and psychosocial outcomes. Diabetes self-management education programmes, developed robustly with an evidence-based structured curriculum, vary in their method of delivery, content, and use of technology, person-centred philosophy, and specific aims. They are delivered by trained educators, and monitored for quality by independent assessors and routine audit. Self-management education should be tailored to specific populations, taking into consideration the type of diabetes, and ethnic, social, cognitive, literacy, and cultural factors. Ways to improve access to and uptake of diabetes self-management programmes are needed globally.

Research Ethics in Behavioral Interventions Among Special Populations: Lessons From the Peer Approaches to Lupus Self-Management Study

BACKGROUND

Research involving a homogenous cohort of participants belonging to a special population must make considerations to recruit and protect the subjects. This study analyses the ethical considerations made in the peer approaches to lupus self-management project which pilot tested a peer mentoring intervention for African American women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

METHODS

Considerations made at the outset of the project are described and their justifications and reasoning are given. Through analysis of feedback from a postintervention focus group and mentors' logs, implications on program outcomes and participant satisfaction are discussed.

RESULTS

Feedback indicated the importance of recruiting and training capable mentors, consistent contact from study staff to avert adverse events and avert fear or mistrust and careful consideration that must go into the pairing of mentors and mentees. Participant feedback also indicated that sensitive topics must be addressed carefully to prevent distress and dissatisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Applying the lessons learned from this work as well as the considerations that proved successful may improve the contextualization and ethical conduct of behavioral interventions in special populations resulting in improved tailoring and acceptability toward historically underserved individuals.

Sociocultural Influences on African Americans' Representations of Type 2 Diabetes: A Qualitative Study

Objective

Illness representations, known as patients' beliefs and expectations about an illness, may be influenced by cultural beliefs and personal experiences. This study explored African Americans' perceptions of the sociocultural factors that influence their representations of diabetes.

Design

Six semi-structured focus groups.

Setting

Private space at a convenient site.

Participants

Forty African Americans, aged 45-60 years with type 2 diabetes for at least one year prior.

Results

Participants perceived that there was a race-mediated effect of how they developed diabetes because of poverty due to past slavery, racial discrimination by health care providers, and the stigma associated with diabetes within the African American community. Participants perceived that poverty influenced African Americans' unhealthy eating habits, which led to diabetes diagnosis among their ancestors and their development of the disease since it was hereditary. Participants also perceived that there was provider ill intention, ie, providers were purposefully making people sick, and their lack of education on diabetes from providers was done on purpose, as information on diabetes was withheld and not shared due to racial discrimination. Perceived stigma by the community led to African Americans' avoidance and denial of the disease, and subsequently the development of diabetes.

Conclusions

To enhance disease management for African Americans with diabetes, it is important to focus on the sociocultural context of how African Americans view their world that may be influenced by their knowledge of negative historical circumstances and their current provider relationship, which, in turn, may be reflected in their perceptions of diabetes.

Reversing the tide - diagnosis and prevention of T2DM in populations of African descent

Populations of African descent are at the forefront of the worldwide epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The burden of T2DM is amplified by diagnosis after preventable complications of the disease have occurred. Earlier detection would result in a reduction in undiagnosed T2DM, more accurate statistics, more informed resource allocation and better health. An underappreciated factor contributing to undiagnosed T2DM in populations of African descent is that screening tests for hyperglycaemia, specifically, fasting plasma glucose and HbA_1c, perform sub-optimally in these populations. To offset this problem, combining tests or adding glycated albumin (a nonfasting marker of glycaemia), might be the way forward. However, differences in diet, exercise, BMI, environment, gene-environment interactions and the prevalence of sickle cell trait mean that neither diagnostic tests nor interventions will be uniformly effective in individuals of African, Caribbean or African-American descent. Among these three populations of African descent, intensive lifestyle interventions have been reported in only the African-American population, in which they have been found to provide effective primary prevention of T2DM but not secondary prevention. Owing to a lack of health literacy and poor glycaemic control in Africa and the Caribbean, customized lifestyle interventions might achieve both secondary and primary prevention. Overall, diagnosis and prevention of T2DM requires innovative strategies that are sensitive to the diversity that exists within populations of African descent.

Psychosocial Interventions and Wellbeing in Individuals with Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose: A number of studies, including systematic reviews, show beneficial effects of psychosocial interventions for people with diabetes mellitus; however, they have not been assessed using meta-analysis. The purpose of this meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials is to investigate the effects of psychosocial interventions on depressive and anxiety symptoms, quality of life and self-efficacy in individuals with diabetes mellitus.

Methods: The databases Pubmed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science and SocINDEX were searched with no year restriction. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials published in English that included individuals diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, aged 18 years or above, who engaged in a psychosocial intervention, with outcome measures addressing depressive or anxiety symptomology, quality of life or self-efficacy. Eligible studies needed to compare the intervention to usual care. Study selection was completed using Covidence and meta-analysis was undertaken using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software.

Results: Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis. Five studies investigated the effects of psychosocial interventions and showed a medium to large benefit for depressive symptoms (SMD: −0.70; CI: −1.27, −0.13) which persisted at follow up (SMD: −1.54, CI: −2.97, −0.12). Similar results were not seen immediately post-intervention in the three studies that assessed anxiety symptoms (SMD: −0.30; CI: −0.69, 0.10); however, a medium beneficial effect was seen at follow up (SMD = −0.61, CI = −0.92 to −0.31). Small benefits were seen in the three studies assessing quality of life outcomes (SMD: 0.30, CI: 0.06, 0.55). No benefit was seen in the two studies assessing self-efficacy (SMD: 0.23, CI: −0.11, 0.57).

Conclusions: The results of the current study provide preliminary evidence that psychosocial interventions, compared to usual care, reduce depressive symptoms, and may improve quality of life in individuals with diabetes. However, only a few studies were included and the clinical significance of these findings is unknown.

Culture and Food Practices of African American Women With Type 2 Diabetes

Purpose The goals of this descriptive ethnographic study were to (1) describe the day-to-day selection, preparation, and consumption of food among African American women (AAW) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); (2) identify their typical food selections and consumption practices when dining out at restaurants and at social gatherings (ie, church functions, holidays); (3) highlight the valued behaviors and beliefs that influence these women's food practices; and (4) determine how social interactions influence those food practices. Methods Symbolic interactionism, a sensitizing framework, guided this study. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 20 AAW from 35 to 70 years of age diagnosed with T2DM who shopped and prepared meals for their families and attended church functions where food was served. Data collection consisted of one-on-one interviews and observations of participants during church fellowship dinners, grocery shopping, and food preparation. A social anthropological approach to content analysis was used to describe behavioral regularities in food practices. Results Informants exhibited a constant struggle in food practices, particularly within the home setting. Difficulties in making dietary modifications resulted from conflicts between the need to change dietary practices to control diabetes and personal food preferences, food preferences of family members, and AAW's emotional dedication to the symbolism of food derived from traditional cultural food practices passed down from generation to generation. Conclusions African American women are the gatekeepers for family food practices, holding the keys to healthy dietary practices. This study helps to fill the research gap regarding cultural dietary food practices within this population.

The positive effects of a peer-led intervention system for individuals with a risk of metabolic syndrome

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major health risk in Thailand. Although it is reported that females have a higher rate of MetS than males, very few peer-led intervention studies have been conducted on specific groups, such as seamstresses, at risk of MetS. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a peer-led intervention program on reducing MetS risk factors in individuals working in Thai Uniform Sewing Military Factories.

METHODS

A quasiexperimental program was introduced using a pre- and posttest design that was applied to female sewing factory workers selected for this research. All participants had at least one of the key MetS symptoms. The experimental group (N=50 participants) received 12 weekly peer-led individual support discussion sessions that included both dietary and physical activity (PA) advice and the control group (N=50 participants) followed their usual daily routines. The Student's t-test and the Pearson's chi-squared test were used to compare the differences of baseline data and analysis of variance was used for analysis of the data after intervention.

RESULTS

The results showed that after 3 months of participation, when compared to the control group, the experimental group had significantly improved systolic blood pressure (BP) (P=0.04), diastolic BP (P<0.001), PA (P=0.05), knowledge scores of MetS, perception of MetS and risk factors (P<0.001), and stress assessment (P=0.002). Waist circumference, body mass index, and Food Frequency Questionnaire score were not significantly different but still improved.

CONCLUSION

Findings from this study suggest that a peer-led support program can be introduced as an effective means of improving the behaviors of mostly sedentary factory workers at risk of MetS caused by working habits that are detrimental to health.

Health effectiveness of community health workers as a diabetes self-management intervention

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the health effectiveness of community health workers among three groups (intervention, attentional control and control groups) of Hispanic adults with uncontrolled (HbA1c >8%) type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

This was a randomized clinical trial involving 180 English- and Spanish-speaking Hispanic individuals with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus, 40-74 years of age, who received diabetes care at an outpatient, public, urban hospital. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate the effect of time and group on the primary outcome measure and secondary outcomes. Group differences in the percentage of participants achieving at least 1% reduction in HbA1c levels were assessed using chi-square tests.

RESULTS

Patients' ages ranged from 44 to 74 years, 40% were male, 97% preferred Spanish and seven Spanish-speaking countries were identified as country of origin. Relative to the control and attentional control groups, the intervention group showed greater HbA1c reduction from baseline to 12 months and was the group with the highest percentage of participants showing 1% or more HbA1c reduction.

CONCLUSION

Integration of community health workers improved disease control for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus during the intervention phase. Peer-driven/interactive ways to sustain diabetes control need to be explored.

Effective Self-Management Interventions for Patients With Lupus: Potential Impact of Peer Mentoring

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with significant mortality, morbidity and cost for the individual patient and society. In the United States, African Americans (AAs) have 3-4 times greater prevalence of lupus, risk of developing lupus at an earlier age and lupus-related disease activity, organ damage and mortality compared with whites. Evidence-based self-management interventions that incorporate both social support and health education have reduced pain, improved function and delayed disability among patients with lupus. However, AAs and women are still disproportionately affected by lupus. This article presents the argument that peer mentoring may be an especially effective intervention approach for AA women with SLE. SLE peers with a track record of success in lupus management and have a personal perspective that clinicians often lack. This commonality and credibility can establish trust, increase communication and, in turn, decrease disparities in healthcare outcomes.

Physical Activity and Type 2 Diabetes

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to explore (1) patterns in physical activity behaviors and (2) the meaning and personal significance of social cognitive theory (SCT) constructs on physical activity, across gender and income groups among people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

METHODS

Albertans, 18 years and older (x- = 63, SD = 12.08) with T2DM (N = 1614) completed self-report measures of demographic characteristics and physical activity. Two-way, between-groups analyses of variance (ANOVAs) assessed main and interaction effects of gender and income on leisure time physical activity (LTPA). A subsample of these participants (n = 20) subsequently completed qualitative telephone interviews to provide contextual understanding of the quantitative data and to explore salient SCT influences on physical activity.

RESULTS

Significant findings indicated that men participate in more LTPA than women do, and those from the highest income group participate in more LTPA than low- or middle-income groups (P < .01). Interview results suggested that walking is the most popular form of physical activity; however, gender and income groups differ in other leisure and nonleisure physical activities. Furthermore, patterns for SCT constructs related to physical activity were apparent across gender and income, most noticeably for self-efficacy and environmental and situational influences. Specifically among men, noteworthy differences existed between income groups for self-control and reinforcement strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights the need for more sensitive self-report measures and objective measures of physical activity to help distinguish whether true differences exist between certain demographic groups. Moreover, interventions that promote walking may be beneficial for people with T2DM, provided that appropriate environmental and policy changes occur to accommodate walking and other physical activity behaviors.

Prevention and Care Programs Addressing the Growing Prevalence of Diabetes in China

According to a 2010 national survey, 11 % of adults in China have diabetes, affecting 109.6 million individuals. The high prevalence of diabetes has been attributed to the aging of the population, the rapid adoption of energy-dense foods, and a reduction in physical activity. Collectively, these secular changes have created an obesogenic environment that can unmask diabetes in subjects with a genetic predisposition. The growing prevalence of maternal obesity, gestational diabetes, childhood obesity, and early-onset disease can lead to premature morbidity and mortality. Rising to meet these public health challenges, researchers in China have conducted randomized studies to demonstrate the benefits of lifestyle modification in preventing diabetes (the Da Qing Study), as well as that of team-based integrated care, using multiple strategies including peer support and information technology, in order to reduce hospitalizations, cardiovascular-renal complications, and premature deaths. With growing evidence supporting the benefits of these diabetes prevention and management programs, the next challenge is to use policies and systems to scale up the implementation of these programs through raising awareness, building capacity, and providing resources to reduce the human and socioeconomic burden of diabetes.

Peer Support Interventions for Adults With Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Hemoglobin A1c Outcomes

PURPOSE

Peer support intervention trials have shown varying effects on glycemic control. We aimed to estimate the effect of peer support interventions delivered by people affected by diabetes (those with the disease or a caregiver) on hemoglobin A_1c (HbA_1c) levels in adults.

METHODS

We searched multiple databases from 1960 to November 2015, including Ovid MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, and Scopus. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of adults with diabetes receiving peer support interventions compared with otherwise similar care. Seventeen of 205 retrieved studies were eligible for inclusion. Quality was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias tool. We calculated the standardized mean difference (SMD) of change in HbA_1c level from baseline between groups using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses were predefined.

RESULTS

Seventeen studies (3 cluster RCTs, 14 RCTs) with 4,715 participants showed an improvement in pooled HbA_1c level with an SMD of 0.121 (95% CI, 0.026-0.217; P = .01; I² = 60.66%) in the peer support intervention group compared with the control group; this difference translated to an improvement in HbA_1c level of 0.24% (95% CI, 0.05%-0.43%). Peer support interventions showed an HbA_1c improvement of 0.48% (95% CI, 0.25%-0.70%; P <.001; I² = 17.12%) in the subset of studies with predominantly Hispanic participants and 0.53% (95% CI, 0.32%-0.73%; P <.001; I² = 9.24%) in the subset of studies with predominantly minority participants; both were clinically relevant. In sensitivity analysis excluding cluster RCTs, the overall effect size changed little.

CONCLUSIONS

Peer support interventions for diabetes overall achieved a statistically significant but minor improvement in HbA_1c levels. These interventions may, however, be particularly effective in improving glycemic control for people from minority groups, especially those of Hispanic ethnicity.

Linking High Risk Postpartum Women with a Technology Enabled Health Coaching Program to Reduce Diabetes Risk and Improve Wellbeing: Program Description, Case Studies, and Recommendations for Community Health Coaching Programs

Background. Low-income minority women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus (pGDM) or high BMIs have increased risk for chronic illnesses postpartum. Although the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) provides an evidence-based model for reducing diabetes risk, few community-based interventions have adapted this program for pGDM women. Methods. STAR MAMA is an ongoing randomized control trial (RCT) evaluating a hybrid HIT/Health Coaching DPP-based 20-week postpartum program for diabetes prevention compared with education from written materials at baseline. Eligibility includes women 18-39 years old, ≥32 weeks pregnant, and GDM or BMI > 25. Clinic- and community-based recruitment in San Francisco and Sonoma Counties targets 180 women. Sociodemographic and health coaching data from a preliminary sample are presented. Results. Most of the 86 women included to date (88%) have GDM, 80% were identified as Hispanic/Latina, 78% have migrant status, and most are Spanish-speaking. Women receiving the intervention indicate high engagement, with 86% answering 1+ calls. Health coaching callbacks last an average of 9 minutes with range of topics discussed. Case studies presented convey a range of emotional, instrumental, and health literacy-related supports offered by health coaches. Discussion. The DPP-adapted HIT/health coaching model highlights the possibility and challenge of delivering DPP content to postpartum women in community settings. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02240420.

Diabetes self-management education for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review of the effect on glycemic control

OBJECTIVE

Assess effect of diabetes self-management education and support methods, providers, duration, and contact time on glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes.

METHOD

We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, and PsycINFO to December 2013 for interventions which included elements to improve participants' knowledge, skills, and ability to perform self-management activities as well as informed decision-making around goal setting.

RESULTS

This review included 118 unique interventions, with 61.9% reporting significant changes in A1C. Overall mean reduction in A1C was 0.74 and 0.17 for intervention and control groups; an average absolute reduction in A1C of 0.57. A combination of group and individual engagement results in the largest decreases in A1C (0.88). Contact hours ≥10 were associated with a greater proportion of interventions with significant reduction in A1C (70.3%). In patients with persistently elevated glycemic values (A1C>9), a greater proportion of studies reported statistically significant reduction in A1C (83.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review found robust data demonstrating that engagement in diabetes self-management education results in a statistically significant decrease in A1C levels.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The data suggest mode of delivery, hours of engagement, and baseline A1C can affect the likelihood of achieving statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in A1C.

Diabetes Education, Specialty Care, and Self-Care Advice among Obese African American Women with Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE

Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) includes benchmarks for diabetes management. The objective of our study was to describe diabetes management among African American women, a patient group that carries a disproportionate diabetes burden.

PARTICIPANTS

African American women with type 2 diabetes enrolled in dietary and weight management interventions.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Self-report assessments of diabetes education, specialty care, self-care behaviors and advice. Associations between diabetes self-care behaviors and diabetes advice using Chi-square tests.

RESULTS

Among 96 participants (age = 53 ± 9.4; BMI = 37.9 ± 7.3 kg/m(2)), reported diabetes education and foot exams were lower than HP2020 benchmarks, 48.9% vs 62.5% and 35.1% vs 74.8%, respectively and higher for dilated eye exams (70.1% vs 58.7%). The most frequently reported dietary advice was to increase fruit/vegetable intake (58%) and approximately 50% reported physical activity advice. Receiving no exercise advice was associated with greater odds of little or no physical activity (OR = 3.38) and planned exercises (OR = 2.65).

CONCLUSIONS

Receipt of diabetes education and some specialty care were below national benchmarks while health care provider advice influenced patient self-care behaviors. Increasing diabetes education and specialty care should be included within existing efforts to address the excess diabetes burden experienced by African American women. Longitudinal studies exploring the relationship between health care provider advice and self-care behaviors are needed.

Culturally appropriate health education for Type 2 diabetes in ethnic minority groups: an updated Cochrane Review of randomized controlled trials

AIMS

To give an updated perspective of interventions from additional data collected since our first review, conducted in 2008.

BACKGROUND

This updated Cochrane Review incorporates new information from recent randomized controlled trials on culturally appropriate diabetes health education interventions.

METHODS

An electronic literature search of six databases was repeated, with databases of ongoing trials checked and three journals hand-searched. Meta-analysis was carried out for sufficiently homogeneous outcomes, and common themes among trials were highlighted.

RESULTS

A total of 22 new trials were added to the original 11. Meta-analysis of 28 trials containing suitable data showed significant improvements in glycaemic control (HbA1c ) and diabetes knowledge over a period of 24 months, after the delivery of culturally appropriate education to participants, compared with those receiving 'conventional' care. There were no consistent benefits over the control group in other selected outcome measures, and lack of data continued to make analysis of several outcome measures difficult.

CONCLUSIONS

Research activity in this field has increased considerably over the past 6 years, with culturally appropriate diabetes education showing consistent benefits over conventional care in terms of glycaemic control and diabetes knowledge, sustained in the short- to mid-term. Further research is needed to determine the clinical significance of these improvements and their cost-effectiveness.