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[Preprint]. 2023 Jul 18:rs.3.rs-3136363.
doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3136363/v1.

Participant and group facilitator perspectives on a novel culturally tailored diabetes self-management program for African Americans

Adati Tarfa  1 , Ejura Salihu  1 , Phanary Xiong  1 , Cierra Brewer  1 , Martha Maurer  1 , Yao Liu  2 , Olayinka Shiyanbola  1
Affiliations

Participant and group facilitator perspectives on a novel culturally tailored diabetes self-management program for African Americans

Adati Tarfa et al. Res Sq. .

Abstract

Background: African Americans with type 2 diabetes experience disparities in their care and diabetes health-related outcomes. Diabetes self-management programs such as Healthy Living with Diabetes (HLWD) are important but do not account for the unique cultural experiences of African Americans. As well, a culturally tailored program focused on addressing sociocultural beliefs and providing race-congruent peer support, Peers LEAD (Peers Supporting Health Literacy, Self-Efficacy, Self-Advocacy, and Adherence) was implemented in two midwestern cities to improve medication adherence but does not include diabetes self-management topics included in HLWD. In attempt to fill the gaps from both HLWD and Peers LEAD, Peers EXCEL (Peers' Experience in Communicating and Engaging in Healthy Living) was designed to integrate both programs.

Methods: Our study explored the perceptions of African American participants and facilitators of the separate HLWD and Peers LEAD programs, on the proposed new Peers EXCEL program using focus groups and interviews. Findings were analyzed by research assistants trained in qualitative research using deductive and inductive open coding approaches.

Results: Participants described the lack of cultural fit of the current HLWD program for African American communities and proposed strategies to enhance Peers EXCEL's impact in African American communities. They shared the need to include topics such as the relationships between systemic racism and diabetes.

Conclusion: Participants' feedback of Peers EXCEL reveals the importance of including various community member perspectives in the design of new diabetes self-management programs tailored for African Americans.

Keywords: African Americans; community engagement; diabetes self-management; peer support.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: the authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Description of diabetes self-management programs shared with study participants
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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