Lennie Romero

Evaluating the Acceptability of an Education Program for Bilingual Hispanics with T2DM

Abstract Background: Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) represents 95.7% of 21 million cases. In northeast Pennsylvania (NEPA), Hispanic Americans diagnosed with diabetes have higher death rates resulting from complications of the disease. Local problem: A need for culturally competent diabetes self-management education exist within this community. This disparate effect of T2DM on Hispanic Americans in the NEPA region warrants the need for an evaluation on the acceptance of a culturally appropriate diabetes self-management program. 

Methods: To determine the acceptance of the diabetes education empowerment program (DEEP), participants were introduced to the 8 themes covered in the curriculum. Outcomes measured the acceptance of the DEEP program using the validated Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM) tool. Intervention: The focus group consisted of 11 self- identifying bilingual Hispanic adults with type 2 diabetes. Participants completed a pre- questionnaire on diabetes knowledge, participated in a focus group, and a post- questionnaire on the acceptability of the DEEP curriculum. 

Results: The AIM calculated an interest among participants to have the DEEP program implemented at the project clinical site. The participant’s overall average rate of acceptance to the DEEP program was 86%. 

Conclusions: A shift in the model of care delivery in diabetes education should consider the culture and health literacy needs of patients in order to support improved outcomes.

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