Considerations for Evaluation of Diabetes Prevention Programs in Hispanic Adults in the United States

Hispanics are at high risk for diabetes. While there have been a number of diabetes prevention programs targeting Hispanics in the United States, not all recent studies focused on evaluating such programs have made use of validated tools to examine behavior change or examined acceptability and feasibility of the intervention. Tools used to assess behavioral outcomes such as diet should be tested to ensure validity and reliability. Acceptability may be examined using qualitative and quantitative measures to obtain feedback on the content of the intervention. Feasibility of the intervention may be evidenced by the enrollment, attendance, and attrition rates, as well as barriers or facilitators to participating in the program. Appropriate and comprehensive evaluation of such programs will allow for continued improvement of prevention efforts to address high rates of diabetes in this at-risk population.