A Digital Diabetes Storytelling Intervention for the Hmong Community: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Disparities
• Health Education

Background:

• Hmong-Americans face higher diabetes rates and poorer outcomes compared to White peers.
• Traditional diabetes education methods are often ineffective for Hmong patients due to socioeconomic and literacy barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the acceptability of a culturally informed diabetes self-management education video tool.
• The tool utilized digital storytelling developed through a community-engaged approach.

Main Methods:

• The study administered a digital storytelling video tool in an academic clinic serving a significant Hmong patient population.
• Acceptability, story identification, and participant motivation were evaluated.

Main Results:

• The video tool demonstrated high acceptability, with 96% feeling it represented their community and 88% identifying with the story.
• A significant majority (70%) reported motivation to change behaviors after viewing the video.

Conclusions:

• Culturally informed digital storytelling is a viable tool to improve diabetes education and health outcomes in Hmong communities.
• New strategies are essential to effectively reach and educate Hmong populations about diabetes management.