Diabetes Connect: Developing a Mobile Health Intervention to Link Diabetes Community Health Workers With Primary Care

Community health worker (CHW) interventions can help improve diabetes self-management and health outcomes. There is limited evidence on how to effectively integrate CHW programs with primary care efforts. Mobile health technology (mHealth) can connect CHWs to members of the health care team and enhance care. We tested a model for the integration of a CHW-delivered mHealth intervention to improve diabetes self-management. Seventy-two African American patients with diabetes were followed using the mHealth tool. This project partnered an academic institution, a safety-net clinic, and African American churches. The integration of mHealth technology into CHW programs was successfully achieved and readily accepted.