Health literacy enhanced intervention for inner-city African Americans with uncontrolled diabetes: a pilot study.

ABSTRACT: Background:Disparities in diagnosis and control of type 2 diabetes mellitus are most evident in African Americans (AAs) with lower socioeconomic status. Health literacy is an important predictor of adequate self-management and control of diabetes. The purpose of this pilot study was to test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a health literacy-enhanced diabetes intervention, PLAN 4 Success (Prevention through Lifestyle intervention And Numeracy)-Diabetes, in inner-city, low-income AAs with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Methods:Nineteen of 30 participants who completed the baseline survey received the study intervention which consisted of 4-week health literacy training and disease knowledge education followed by two home visits and monthly phone counseling for over 24?weeks. Results:A retention rate of 58% was achieved at 24?weeks. All participants who completed the follow-up assessment at 24?weeks reported high satisfaction with the intervention. Participation in the PLAN 4 Success-Diabetes was associated with improved glucose control and psychological outcomes at 12?weeks but the positive trend was attenuated at 24?weeks. Conclusions:The current intervention protocols were in general feasible and highly acceptable. The results support health literacy training as a promising component of interventions to promote glucose control among inner-city AAs. Some changes are suggested to optimize the protocols, before conducting a randomized controlled trial. Future interventions should consider addressing social determinants of health such as transportation as part of designing an intervention targeting low-income AAs with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Trial registration:ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03925948. Registered on 24 April 2019-retrospectively registered.

SUBMITTER: Han HR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6686457 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature