Improving self-care management in low-income latinos with type 2 diabetes using peer-led U.S. Conversation Maps: A quality improvement project in a free clinic

Abstract

A culturally sensitive Healthy Interactions Conversations Maps program was implemented for teaching diabetes self-management education (DSME) to Latinos with type 2 diabetes using peer-led educators in a community health center. Patients were invited to participate in a group care setting to improve access to providers and DSME. Goals were to improve diabetes distress, self-efficacy, and glycemic control as measured by A1C. Significant improvements were found for mean diabetes self-efficacy scores from before (2.53 6 0.59) to after (2.91 6 0.50) DSME (P,0.001). Mean A1C decreased significantly from before (9.51 6 1.72%) to after (8.79 6 1.68%) DSME (P 5 0.043) at the end of the 6-month intervention. Thus, this program was found to be a useful tool for providing DSME in community health clinics serving low-income Latinos.