A Health Literacy Program to Improve the Prevention of Diabetic Foot Disease in African-American Communities
Complete Project
Title:
A Health Literacy Program to Improve the Prevention of Diabetic Foot Disease in African-American Communities
Status:
Completed
Topic:
Diabetes / Insulin Resistance
Funding Source:
Pfizer Health Literacy Initiative
Funding Period:
7/02 7/04
Study Design:
An educational brochure for optimal foot care among patients with diabetes was created in collaboration with clinicians and community educators, and was evaluated through focus groups with diabetic patients. A randomized controlled study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of the brochure among African-American patients with type 2 diabetes.
Purpose:
To improve the prevention, and thereby decreasing the incidence and complications, of foot disease in African-Americans patients with diabetes by improving the health literacy of these patients, their families, and their caregivers with regard to diabetic foot care.
Further Study Details:
Several focus groups were conducted during Year 1 of the project to guide the development of culturally and educationally appropriate materials to help those at risk prevent and manage foot problems associated with diabetes. The impact of the materials was tested in year 2 when diabetic patients were recruited to participate in the intervention. The outcomes of interest included knowledge, practice, and self-efficacy for proper foot care, as well as general health literacy and presence of foot abnormalities in the study population. Four validated questionnaires and a clinical test for identifying foot abnormalities among patients with diabetes were used to quantify these outcomes at baseline and 3 months later.
Findings:
The intervention group had a significant increase over time in general health literacy scores. Positive trends in knowledge, practice and self-efficacy for proper foot self-care were shown but failed to achieve statistical significance. Patients in both groups (intervention and control) experienced positive changes in their knowledge, practice, and self-efficacy for proper foot care. The lack of between-group differences notwithstanding, this study demonstrated the feasibility of developing culturally relevant, educational materials adapted to cultivate health literacy.
Eligibility:
African-American men and women diagnosed with diabetes.
Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center