Background: Virtual world environments have the potential to increase access to diabetes self-management interventions and may lower cost. Objective: We tested the feasibility and comparative effectiveness of a virtual world versus a face-to-face diabetes self-management group intervention. Methods: We recruited African American women with type 2 diabetes to participate in an 8-week diabetes self-management program adapted from Power to Prevent, a behavior-change in-person group program for African Americans with diabetes or pre-diabetes. The program is social cognitive theory-guided, evidence-based, and culturally tailored. Participants were randomized to participate in the program via virtual world (Second Life) or face-to-face, both delivered by a single intervention team. Blinded assessors conducted in-person clinical (HbA1c), behavioral, and psychosocial measurements at baseline and 4-month follow-up. Pre-post differences within and between intervention groups were assessed using t tests and chi-square tests (two-sided and intention-to-treat analyses for all comparisons). Results: Participants (N=89) were an average of 52 years old (SD 10), 60% had ≤high school, 82% had household incomes
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Rosal, M. C., Heyden, R., Mejilla, R., Capelson, R., Chalmers, K. A., DePaoli, M. R., … Wiecha, J. M. (2014). A virtual world versus face-to-face intervention format to promote diabetes self-management among african american women: A pilot randomized clinical trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 3(4). https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.3412
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