Diabetes management: utilizing community health workers in a Hawaiian/Samoan population.
BACKGROUND
Although not widely utilized, community health workers (CHWs) have been shown to enhance diabetes education and management efforts among racial/ethnic minority populations.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the effectiveness of CHWs on diabetes management among a population with primarily Native Hawaiian and Samoan ethnic minority participants with HbA1c greater than 10%.


METHODS
Descriptive study comparing HbA1c readings of participants with diabetes with and without CHW intervention.


METHODS
Of 116 eligible participants, 74% were either Native Hawaiian or Samoan.


RESULTS
The mean baseline HbA1c for all eligible participants was 10.9+/-0.8%. The 80 participants who completed CHW intervention had a 2.2+/-1.8% (p.<.01, compared with baseline) mean reduction in HbA1c, compared with a 0.2+/-1.5% reduction for those without CHW intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
Community health workers had a positive impact on diabetes management defined in terms of improved HbA1c amongst this predominantly Native Hawaiian and Samoan population.
Beckham
Sheila
S
Waikiki Health Center, Honolulu, HI 96815, USA. sbeckham@waikikihc.org
Bradley
Stephen
S
Washburn
Anuenue
A
Taumua
Tusi
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044468:Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin