Developing Diabetes Education Training for Community Health Workers serving Native Hawaiians and other Pacfiic People Using Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) process

Incidence of Type 2 diabetes is disproportionately higher for Native Hawaiians and other Pacific People in Hawai‘i. Training of community health workers serving Native Hawaiian and Pacific People about diabetes prevention, control and management was identified as a priority in a needs assessment of health agencies in Hawai‘i. The community health worker is defined as a member of a particular community who works as a bridge between the health care system and community members. Principles from Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) provided a framework to develop and implement a four hour training curriculum.

The curriculum developers incorporated teaching strategies that balanced class room lectures with case studies, role playing, and group learning. They also integrated Native Hawaiian and Pacific People history, language and cultural practices into the curriculum. Educational research with Native Hawaiians and Pacific People has shown approaches that create “culturally authentic environments” facilitate learning. Nineteen health organizations participated in the training that reached 111 community health workers over a three year period. Based on results of a validated pre and post diabetes knowledge test, the training participants showed significant gain in diabetes knowledge. A culturally tailored diabetes education gives community health workers the relevant knowledge and tools to participate in the deliver diabetes education to a minority group experiencing disparate health outcomes. A community-based method facilitated development of seminar content and delivery strategies.