Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113507

Carlos S. Zometa, PhD, MSPH¹, Brandy Sinco, MS², Michael Spencer, PhD², Edith C. Kieffer, MPH, PhD², Gloria Palmisano, BS, MA³, Michael Anderson⁴, Jackie Two Feathers, MPH¹, and Michele Heisler, MD, MPA⁵. (1) School of Public Health, University of Michigan, M3055, SPH2, 109 S Observatory, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, 734-647-4799, czometa@umich.edu, (2) School of Social Work, University of Michigan, 3747 1080 S. University St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106, (3) REACH Detroit Partnership, Community Health & Social Services Center, Inc., One Ford Place, Suite 1-B, Detroit, MI 48202, (4) Community Health & Social Services Center, Inc., REACH Detroit Partnership, 1 Ford Place, Suite 1B, Detroit, MI 48202, (5) University of Michigan, 2515 Fuller Street, 11H, Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Guided by community-based research principles, trained REACH Detroit Partnership Family Health Advocates aim to empower African American and Latino adults with diabetes to gain knowledge, attitudes and skills needed for diabetes self-management. The purpose of this study is to examine the correlates and patterns of change in diabetes knowledge and self-care attitudes among a sample of 111 adults participating in the REACH Detroit Family Intervention. Participants completed baseline and follow up surveys that included well validated diabetes knowledge and attitudes scales, including knowledge of a key test of diabetes control (A1c). Analyses were conducted using mixed-models with repeated measures with the entire sample and separately by race/ethnicity. At baseline, 42% of the Latino and African American participants did not know if they had A1c tests in the previous year; 5% had never heard of the test. Post intervention, these percentages had dropped to 14% and less than 1%, respectively. Positive changes in knowledge of diabetes management and diabetes self-care attitudes were significant (p< .05). A statistically significant association was found between improved self care attitudes and two knowledge outcomes: improvements in knowing whether A1c tests were conducted in the previous year (p <.05) and knowledge of diabetes management (p< .01). This study contributes evidence that a community advocate-led intervention has potential to help African American and Latino adults gain the knowledge and attitudes needed to successfully self-manage their diabetes.

Learning Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will be able to

• Discuss the evidence that changes in diabetes self-care attitudes are associated with changes in knowledge of diabetes self-management among African American and Latino adults participating in the REACH Detroit Partnership Family Intervention.
• Describe factors that affect diabetes self-care knowledge and attitudes.
• Discuss how interventions such as the REACH Detroit Partnership influence the self-care attitudes and knowledge among African Americans and Latinos in inner city Detroit.

Keywords: Community Participation, Diabetes

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation