title: Benefits of Diabetes Self-Management for Health Plan Members: A 6-Month Translation Study.
abstract: Diabetes self-management education has been shown to be effective in controlled trials. However, few programs that meet American Association of Diabetes Educators standards have been translated into widespread practice.
  
  
  
  This study examined the translation of the evidence-based Better Choices, Better Health-Diabetes program in both Internet and face-to-face versions.
  
  
  
  We administered the Internet program nationally in the United States (n=1010). We conducted face-to-face workshops in Atlanta, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; and St. Louis, Missouri (n=232). Self-report questionnaires collected health indicator, health behavior, and health care utilization measures. Questionnaires were administered on the Web or by mail. We determined hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) from blood samples collected via mailed kits. Paired t tests determined whether changes between baseline and 6 months differed significantly from no change. Subgroup analyses determined whether participants with specific conditions benefited (high HbA1c, depression, hypoglycemia, nonadherence to medication taking, and no aerobic exercise). We calculated the percentage of participants with improvements of at least 0.4 effect size in at least one of the 5 above measures.
  
  
  
  Of the 1242 participants, 884 provided 6-month follow-up questionnaires. There were statistically significant improvements in 6 of 7 health indicators (including HbA1c) and in 7 of 7 behaviors. For each of the 5 conditions, there were significant improvements among those with the condition (effect sizes 0.59-1.1). A total of 662 (75.0%) of study participants improved at least 0.4 effect size in at least one criterion, and 327 (37.1%) improved in 2 or more.
  
  
  
  The Diabetes Self-Management Program, offered in two modes, was successfully disseminated to a heterogeneous national population of members of either insured or administered health plans. Participants had small but significant benefits in multiple measures. The program appears effective in improving diabetes management.
authors.affiliation: Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, United States.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6516-2308
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lorig
authors.forename: Philip L
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2528-6354
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Ritter
authors.forename: Ralph M
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6324-2283
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2786-1076
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: English
authors.forename: Diana D
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5925-465X
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Laurent
authors.forename: Jay
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7759-640X
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Greenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D015438:Health Behavior; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007196:Indiana; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012648:Self Care; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents
keywords: patient education; self-management; translation and dissemination; type 2 diabetes