Game Changers: Community health workers as diabetes educators for Latinos in Lake County, IL

Nationally, Latinos demonstrate disproportionately high rates of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and low levels of adherence to self-care practices leading to poor glycemic control and negative health outcomes. This is mirrored in Lake County:  social determinants such as low income and lack of education  merge with limited access to health care and cultural and linguistic barriers to significantly affect diabetes self-care.  Community health workers (CHWs) are effective educators of Latinos with or at risk for T2D.  Mano a Mano Family Resource Center (MaM),a community organization serving Lake County’s Latino immigrants and families, and the Midwest Latino Health Research Training and Policy Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago  partnered to develop the CHW workforce and implemented their training on diabetes self-management education. The first year of the program (2013-2014) 9 CHWs recruited 80 participants and conducted 10-week workshops that resulted in a significant reduction in levels of A1C and depression, and improvement in diabetes self-care efficacy and quality of life. On the second year of the program (2014-2015) recruitment and education continue until reaching a total of 130 Latino immigrant participants. Assessments include biomedical and behavioral outcomes: A1C, blood pressure, BMI, diabetes knowledge, diabetes self-care activities, diabetes self-efficacy, social support, and quality of life.  MaM has provided important health benefits to its constituents and has raised the profile of its CHW workforce. Final outcomes, lessons learned, and the impact of this CHW program at the individual, organizational, and community levels will be discussed.