Knowledge Bank

Background: Self-efficacy and self-management through recommended lifestyle behaviors improve outcomes among people with diabetes. Significant disparities exist in diabetes prevalence and outcomes. Hispanics living in the United States are disproportionally affected by diabetes; consequently, it is essential to prioritize the prevention and enhance self-management of diabetes with this population. The aim of this quality improvement project is to improve self-efficacy and diabetes self-management by providing group-based education to help reduce health disparities. Methods: This quality improvement project was implemented in a community-based church setting. A six-week program was developed based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-approved Diabetes Prevention Program, PreventT2 curriculum. Effect of the program on self-efficacy and self-management behaviors was assessed through implementation of the Self-Efficacy for Diabetes and the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (diet and exercise), and a Hedges’ g test was used to compare pre- and post-survey responses. Results: Community recruitment yielded a total of eleven participants in the 6-week program. The mean self-efficacy score increases of 1.67 to 5.60 points with a small to large effect, and the self-management behavior score increase of 5.67 points were observed with a medium effect in participants (n = 6) who attended more than three sessions. Conclusion: Based on the results, implementing group-based diabetes education sessions in a community-based church setting might improve self-efficacy and self-management behavior in the Hispanic and other at-risk populations. Limitations and barriers to program participation and implementation of group visits are discussed.