A diabetes management program for African American women with type 2 diabetes

PURPOSE this paper describes a clinic- and community-based diabetes intervention pr ogram designed to improve dietary, physical activity, and self-care behavio rs of older African American women with type 2 diabetes. It also describes the study to evaluate this program and baseline characteristics of particip ants. METHODS The New Leaf... Choices for Healthy Living With Diabetes program consists o f 4 clinic-based health counselor visits, a community intervention with 12 monthly phone calls from peer counselors, and 3 group sessions. A randomize d, controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention is d escribed. RESULTS Seventeen focus groups of African American women were used to assess the cu ltural relevance/acceptability of the intervention and measurement instrume nts. For the randomized trial, 200 African American women with type 2 diabe tes were recruited front 7 practices in central North Carolina. Mean age wa s 59, mean diabetes duration was 10 years, and participants weve markedly o verweight and physically inactive. CONCLUSIONS Participants found this program to be culturally relevant and acceptable. I ts effects on diet, physical activity, and self-care behaviors will be asse ssed in a randomized trial.