Reaching Out to Elderly Latinos Living with Diabetes: A Self-Management Program

Background: The elderly are living longer, but not healthier. This is particularly true for elderly Latinos and other minority groups. Latinos are disproportionally affected by chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, compared with non-Latinos. Poor self-management of the disease and barriers associated with accessing high quality care (e.g., poverty) contribute to these inequalities. To address this need, the National Council of La Raza will present the results of a diabetes self-management ¯ Viviendo Saludable (Living Healthy) ¯ culturally competent educational program to increase self-management behaviors and improve the well-being of elderly Latinos living with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Focus groups discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted to assess community needs. An educational tool kit was developed based on these findings and used by community health workers during educational sessions. One hundred participants were recruited, provided biometric measures, and completed pre-post knowledge tests and a three-month follow-up questionnaire. The program was pilot tested with an NCLR affiliated community-based organization in San Antonio, Texas. Results: 71% of participants were females with a mean age of 72 years. 71% of participants reported that this was the first time they had attended a talk about diabetes. Participants reported significantly greater responsibility for their health after attending sessions including increases in knowledge and confidence in many crucial self-management behaviors. Discussion: These findings highlight the importance of using culturally relevant methods to deliver information on diabetes self-management to low-income elderly Latinos and provide promising indications of potential behavior change.