Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Detroit partnership: improving diabetes-related outcomes among African American and Latino adults.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine the effects of a community-based, culturally tailored diabetes lifestyle intervention on risk factors for diabetes complications among African Americans and Latinos with type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
One hundred fifty-one African American and Latino adults with diabetes were recruited from 3 health care systems in Detroit, Michigan, to participate in the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Detroit Partnership diabetes lifestyle intervention. The curriculum, delivered by trained community residents, was aimed at improving dietary, physical activity, and diabetes self-care behaviors. Baseline and postintervention levels of diabetes-specific quality-of-life, diet, physical activity, self-care knowledge and behaviors, and hemoglobin A1C were assessed.


RESULTS
There were statistically significant improvements in postintervention dietary knowledge and behaviors and physical activity knowledge. A statistically significant improvement in A1C level was achieved among REACH Detroit program participants (P<.0001) compared with a group of patients with diabetes in the same health care system in which no significant changes were observed (P=.160).


CONCLUSIONS
A culturally tailored diabetes lifestyle intervention delivered by trained community residents produced significant improvement in dietary and diabetes self-care related knowledge and behaviors as well as important metabolic improvements.
Two Feathers
Jacqueline
J
Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. jtwofea@umich.edu
Kieffer
Edith C
EC
Palmisano
Gloria
G
Anderson
Mike
M
Sinco
Brandy
B
Janz
Nancy
N
Heisler
Michele
M
Spencer
Mike
M
Guzman
Ricardo
R
Thompson
Janice
J
Wisdom
Kimberlydawn
K
James
Sherman A
SA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin