Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects
Access Control
Open Access
Degree Program
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Degree Track
Post Master's DNP Completion
Year Degree Awarded
2021
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7275/22872899
Month Degree Awarded
May
Keywords
Hispanic/Latinos, diabetes education, community health workers, diabetes self-management
Advisor
Pamela Aselton, Ph.D., MPH, FNP
DNP Project Chair
Pamela Aselton, Ph.D., MPH, FNP
DNP Project Outside Member Name
Zafer Haydar, MD
Abstract
Background: Latinos in the United States suffer higher rates of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and need culturally sensitive approaches to diabetes self-management education (DSME).
Purpose: To implement a culturally sensitive DSME program to Latino adults by integrating a community health worker, clinic support, and digital technology.
Methods: This project was implemented over 8 weeks in an internal medicine clinic in El Paso, Texas. It included online DSME group sessions delivered by a community health worker, with primary care support, and key topic reinforcement through text messaging. Concluding hemoglobin A1c levels were drawn and compared with the patient’s baseline hemoglobin A1C level, and the Clinicians' Cultural Sensitivity Survey pre- and post-tests were compared.
Results: Significant improvements were noted in Hba1c levels, with a median reduction of 0.60%, the sensitivity to cultural beliefs and practice domain increased by 24.7%; and sensitivity to language subdomain increased by 28.7%. The discrimination domain and discrimination due to language subdomain were not improved; however, the participants ranked these processes as superior in the initial surveys. No improvements were noted in the immigrant domain, but the participant's scores offered valuable insight into improving immigrant health in the future.
Conclusion: This online CHW led culturally tailored DSME demonstrated overall effectiveness in improving diabetes outcomes. Utilizing similar digital technology to deliver DSME may assist in bridging gaps in diabetes care in rural underserved Latino populations in the future.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.