Diabetes in Vulnerable Populations

Diabetes rates continue to rise. Most people with diabetes can manage their disease—with the right support and tools. But we have much to learn about providing effective education and support, especially for people with limited English skills and low incomes.

Health Research for Action studied the needs of African American, Latino, Vietnamese, and Mien patients with diabetes. The patients were members of a health plan in Contra Costa County, California. Through focus groups, interviews, and health literacy assessments, the patients evaluated their own care. Based on the findings, HRA revised self-management tools, trained providers to better understand patients' needs, and recommended changes to the health plan's education programs and treatment protocols.

In Alameda County, with NIH funding, HRA is working with a collaborative project led by Asian Health Services and the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO). AAPCHO is a national group of community health centers that primarily treat medically underserved Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

HRA is assessing the project's team-based, culturally and linguistically relevant approach to patient care, family education, and community health. The project's goals are to improve care for people with diabetes and to promote healthier behaviors throughout Alameda County's Asian communities. A long-term goal is to disseminate this model through AAPCHO health centers across the nation.