title: Imbedding Interdisciplinary Diabetes Group Visits Into a Community-Based Medical Setting.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate an interdisciplinary approach and test the efficacy of diabetes group visits tailored to low-income patients in a community-based medical practice.
  
  
  
  A randomized repeated measures design was used with 40 patients in the experimental group and 40 patients in the control group. The diabetes group visit consisted of individualized sessions with a physician or nurse practitioner to review medications and conduct a medical examination and group sessions to deliver diabetes self-management education. Data collected included clinical data and questionnaires. A control group shared comparable demographic characteristics, medication regimens, and baseline A1C levels.
  
  
  
  The patients in the experimental group decreased their A1C, triglycerides, and heart rate from time 1 to time 5 and maintained their high-density lipoprotein significantly more than the control group. In exit interviews, the patients said that the group diabetes visits helped them be more accountable about their diabetes self-management goals.
  
  
  
  Diabetes group visits that combined diabetes self-management education and a medical visit with a health care provider improved A1C and were well received by the patients. The study provided patients with a quality program in an environment in which they felt safe to learn and that met them where they were in their diabetes self-management behaviors. This approach could be widely disseminated into other clinic settings that serve patients with type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (Dr Berry; Ms Hall)
authors.forename: Diane C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: Rutgers University, Camden, New Jersey (Dr Williams)
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (Dr Berry; Ms Hall)
authors.forename: Emily Gail
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: The Light House Foundation, Raleigh, North Carolina (Ms Heroux)
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heroux
authors.affiliation: Alliance Medical Ministry, Raleigh, North Carolina (Dr Bennett-Lewis)
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bennett-Lewis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003151:Community Health Centers; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D011203:Poverty; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human