A community-based, culturally tailored behavioral intervention for Korean Americans with type 2 diabetes.
The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of a culturally tailored comprehensive type 2 diabetes management intervention for Korean American immigrants (KAIs) with type 2 diabetes.



A randomized controlled pilot trial with 2 parallel arms (intervention vs control) with a delayed intervention design was used. A total of 79 KAIs, recruited from the Baltimore-Washington area, completed baseline, 18-week, and 30-week follow-ups (intervention, n = 40; control, n = 39). All participants had uncontrolled type 2 diabetes (hemoglobin A1C >or=7.5%) at baseline. The authors' comprehensive, self-help intervention program for type 2 diabetes management (SHIP-DM) consisted of a 6-week structured psychobehavioral education, home glucose monitoring with teletransmission, and bilingual nurse telephone counseling for 24 weeks. The primary outcome of the study was A1C level, and secondary outcomes included an array of psychobehavioral variables.



Using analysis of covariance, the findings support that the proposed intervention was effective in significantly lowering A1C and fasting glucose and also in improving psychosocial outcomes in the sample. Specifically, the amount of reduction in A1C among intervention group participants was 1.19% at 18 weeks and 1.31% at 30 weeks, with 10% and 15.5% of the participants achieving the suggested goal of A1C <7% at 18 and 30 weeks of follow-up, respectively.



The results highlight the clinical efficacy of the SHIP-DM intervention composed of a 6-week education program, self-monitoring, and follow-up counseling, in terms of maintaining the improved intervention effects obtained and in terms of glucose control.
Kim
Miyong T
MT
The School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr M. T. Kim, Dr Han, Dr Lee, Dr J. Kim)
Han
Hae-Ra
HR
The School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr M. T. Kim, Dr Han, Dr Lee, Dr J. Kim)
Song
Hee-Jung
HJ
The School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr Song)
Lee
Jong-Eun
JE
The School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr M. T. Kim, Dr Han, Dr Lee, Dr J. Kim)
Kim
Jiyun
J
The School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr M. T. Kim, Dr Han, Dr Lee, Dr J. Kim)
Ryu
Jai P
JP
Department of Sociology, Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr Ryu)
Kim
Kim B
KB
Korean Resource Center, Ellicott City, Maryland (Dr K. Kim)
D001521:Behavior Therapy; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003469:Culture; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007723:Korea / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D018579:Patient Selection; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D014481:United States
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin