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Hispanic chronic disease self-management: a randomized community-based outcome trial.
Kate R Lorig1, Philip L Ritter, Virginia M González
1Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, California, USA. lorig@stanford.edu
Nursing Research
|November 26, 2003
Summary
A 6-week community program improved health and reduced emergency room visits for Spanish speakers with chronic conditions. These positive outcomes were sustained at one year, demonstrating the program's long-term effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Community Health Interventions
- Chronic Disease Management
- Health Disparities
Background:
- Growing prevalence of chronic diseases necessitates effective community-based interventions.
- Need for theory-based programs to improve health behaviors and status.
- Addressing health disparities in chronic illness management is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate health and utilization outcomes of a 6-week community program.
- Target population: Spanish speakers with heart disease, lung disease, or type 2 diabetes.
- Assess program effectiveness using a randomized controlled trial design.
Main Methods:
- A 6-week peer-led program for 327 participants.
- Comparison with a randomized wait-list control group (n=224) at 4 months.
- Long-term outcomes assessed at 1 year (n=271) compared to baseline.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements in health status, behavior, and self-efficacy at 4 months.
- Reduced emergency room visits observed in the treatment group (p < .05).
- Sustained improvements at 1 year compared to baseline.
Conclusions:
- The community-based program shows potential for improving chronic illness management in Hispanics.
- The intervention effectively reduces emergency room utilization.
- Community programs can positively impact health outcomes for diverse populations.