Results of an intervention to promote diabetes prevention among New York City Koreans using a community health worker model

Background: Asian Americans have higher rates of diabetes than Non-Hispanic Whites. However, there are limited studies on Asian subgroups and few community-based, culturally-tailored interventions to promote diabetes prevention for Korean Americans. Objective: To examine the impact of a community health worker (CHW) diabetes prevention intervention in the Korean community. Methods: Between 2011 and 2013, three rounds of a culturally-tailored diabetes prevention intervention were implemented in a New York City (NYC) Korean community. Participants were randomized to treatment and control groups. The treatment group received 6 educational workshops led by trained CHWs on diabetes prevention and related topics, and 10 follow-up phone calls. Baseline and follow-up surveys were administered to capture diabetes knowledge, behavioral change, and clinical outcomes; analyses were conducted using chi-square tests for categorical variables and repeated measures ANOVA for continuous variables. Results: Preliminary analysis from the first round (n=35) showed modest, non-significant reductions in weight, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, and systolic blood pressure for the treatment group. The control group saw little to no change in clinical measurements. Preliminary analysis of the first two rounds (n=73) found increases in recommended physical activity in the treatment group (p<0.01), while the control group saw a decrease. Treatment and control group individuals showed an increase in knowing what exercises are healthy, though changes were only significant in the treatment group (p<0.05). The treatment group also demonstrated non-significant improvements in mental health, nutritional behaviors, and diabetes knowledge. Complete data on three rounds of the intervention will be presented. Conclusions: Preliminary results from this intervention suggest that a CHW program may be effective in promoting diabetes prevention among the NYC Korean population.