Diabetes self-management education interventions and glycemic control among hispanics: a literature review

Diabetes self-management education interventions have been shown to improve glycemic control in Whites and African Americans with type 2 diabetes. Hispanic women and men, however, sometimes have barriers to management including lack of access to care, low English proficiency, low literacy, and cultural differences. This review examined the state of the science related to the effects of diabetes self-management education interventions on glycemic control in Hispanics. The 8 of 9 studies showed a significant decrease in glycated hemoglobin in experimental patients. The interventions also demonstrated the success of using community health workers, bilingual interventionists, culturally sensitive designs, and accessible interventions. Limitations included weak study designs, high attrition rates, and short duration of studies.