title: Group medical visits in primary care for patients with diabetes and low socioeconomic status: users' perspectives and lessons for practitioners.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article describes a qualitative research study that examines the encounters by patients of low socioeconomic status with a group medical visit (GMV) program for individuals with or at risk for diabetes. The goal of this study was to generate insights that could be used to guide the development of an inner-city community health centre's GMV services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semistructured interviews were conducted with 9 patients who took part in a GMV program that was offered to patients of an inner-city community health centre that serves individuals with low income or homelessness. The interviews addressed barriers to and incentives for attending the GMV program, the GMV program's influence on diabetes-related knowledge and attitudes, and the patients' experience of health and quality of life. Conventional qualitative content analysis was used to organize the interview data according to themes and subthemes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants described how the GMV program was implemented, the qualities of a good facilitator, diabetes management as a change process, the role of group members in supporting the change process, and provided general feedback and suggestions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This article concludes with a series of considerations for the implementation of GMVs. These considerations address group cohesion, the therapeutic effects of group problem solving and support, and the implementation of behaviour-change interventions in GMVs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: ckthomps@ucalgary.ca.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Calgary Urban Project Society, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Meeuwisse
authors.affiliation: Calgary Urban Project Society, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dahlke
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Drummond
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011203:Poverty; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012648:Self Care; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: diabetes; diabète; faible revenu; group medical visit; low income; patient education; program evaluation; visite médicale en groupe; éducation du patient; évaluation du programme