Type 2 diabetes self-management social support intervention at the U.S.-Mexico border

Objectives: To pilot test the efficacy of a culturally tailored diabetes self-management social support intervention for Mexican American adults with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) living in the U.S.-Mexico border region and to test the feasibility of recruiting and training promotoras to participate in intervention delivery. Design and Sample: This study used a single-group pretest and posttest design. The convenience sample consisted of 21 Mexican American adults with T2DM. The setting for the study was a community in the Arizona-Sonora, Mexico border region. Interventions: A bilingual, bicultural certified diabetes educator (CDE) and a nurse researcher developed the intervention to improve T2DM self-management activities for Mexican Americans. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires, glycosolated hemoglobin (HbA_1c), and anthropometric measures. Results: Intervention efficacy was demonstrated by an increase in participants' diabetes self-management activities and diabetes knowledge and a decrease in diabetes-related distress and sedentary behaviors. There were no significant changes in physiologic outcomes. Feasibility of recruitment and training of 2 promotoras who participated in intervention delivery was established. Conclusions: Promotoras, in collaboration with a CDE, successfully delivered a culturally tailored diabetes self-management social support intervention for Mexican American adults with T2DM. This intervention positively affected diabetes self-management behaviors.