Race analysis in an African American sample with serious mental illness and comorbid diabetes

Targeted Training in Illness Management (TTIM) focuses on enhancing care engagement for people living with serious mental illness and diabetes. This secondary analysis from a 60-week, randomized controlled trial of TTIM versus treatment as usual evaluated racial subgroup outcomes.

Demographics, clinical characteristics, and diabetes status were evaluated for those self-identifying as non-Hispanic White, African American, and Hispanic. Longitudinal response to TTIM was evaluated using a multiple domain risk index. Due to their small sample size; those identifying as Hispanic were excluded from this analysis.

Non-Hispanic White participants had greater baseline socioeconomic advantages. Baseline risk scores, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values, and HbA1c differences over time were similar for African American and non-Hispanic White participants.

African American participants living with serious mental illness and diabetes receiving TTIM did as well as non-Hispanic White participants. Inclusive approaches that feature peer support and are situated in safety-net health care settings need to be further investigated with respect to potentially impacting health disparities. (PsycINFO Database Record