Results of a pilot community health worker intervention on diabetes knowledge and management among Bangladeshis in New York City

Research suggests the prevalence of diabetes is increasing in the Asian American population. Diabetes in this population is also marked by lack of knowledge about the disease which may result in poor management.A pilot study of a Community Health Worker (CHW) intervention designed to improve diabetes management in the New York City (NYC) Bangladeshi community was conducted. Twenty-six individuals completed six educational sessions and 2 one-on-one visits with a CHW over a 6-month period, and outcomes were assessed at baseline, 3, 6, and 12-months. Results on changes in diabetes knowledge and management after the intervention are presented. All individuals were foreign-born, and 58% were female . Approximately 25% of individuals were age 60 or older. At baseline, 15% of participants knew what Hemoglobin A1C was, which increased to 77% by 12-months. Exercise and healthy eating also increased. 27% of individuals reported never or rarely exercising at baseline, while all reported exercising at least several times a week at 12-months; 38% of individuals chose to eat fruits instead of desserts with high sugar most or all of time, compared to 67% at 12-months. Diabetes is a chronic condition that requires life-long management, and morbidity from the disease can be reduced by controlling the disease. These results suggest that CHWs can promote positive changes in diabetes knowledge and management among Bangladeshis in NYC.