Improving diabetes care of community-dwelling underserved older adults. 2022

Zyrene Marsh, and Yamini Teegala, and Valerie Cotter
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD.

Diabetes care among rural underserved older adults is negatively affected by social determinants of health (SDOH). Although there is an increased awareness of this problem, evidence-based clinical and community interventions are not widely integrated. This project implemented telemedicine and community health worker (CHW) interventions to improve diabetes management and outcomes. One in five older adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) at a Federally Qualified Health Center in southwest Ohio has uncontrolled disease, largely due to their limited resources and ability to participate in routine clinical management. This quality improvement project used a pre-post intervention design. Participants were adults aged ≥65 years with uncontrolled DM type 1 or 2. The outcomes of interest included A1C values, diabetes self-care activities, diabetes knowledge, and patient and health care provider (HCP) satisfaction levels. The project involved biweekly CHW home visits and diabetes self-management education for 12 weeks. The CHWs, with supervision from a nurse practitioner, conducted SDOH assessments and basic education, and facilitated same-day telemedicine appointments with the HCP to reinforce disease management. The A1C levels and diabetes knowledge of older adults significantly improved after three months. However, there were no statistically significant changes in diabetes self-care activities. The patients and HCPs were highly satisfied with the project interventions. This project delivered patient-centered and equitable diabetes care services that were previously unavailable to underserved older patients, while demonstrably improving outcomes. Future research should evaluate the cost-effectiveness, long-term impact, and sustainability of the project in other primary care settings.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D003150 Community Health Workers Persons trained to assist professional health personnel in communicating with residents in the community concerning needs and availability of health services. Barefoot Doctors,Community Health Aides,Village Health Worker,Family Planning Personnel,Family Planning Personnel Characteristics,Village Health Workers,Aide, Community Health,Aides, Community Health,Barefoot Doctor,Community Health Aide,Community Health Worker,Doctor, Barefoot,Doctors, Barefoot,Health Aide, Community,Health Aides, Community,Health Worker, Community,Health Worker, Village,Health Workers, Community,Health Workers, Village,Personnel, Family Planning,Planning Personnel, Family,Worker, Community Health,Worker, Village Health,Workers, Community Health,Workers, Village Health
D003920 Diabetes Mellitus A heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by HYPERGLYCEMIA and GLUCOSE INTOLERANCE.
D006442 Glycated Hemoglobin Products of non-enzymatic reactions between GLUCOSE and HEMOGLOBIN (occurring as a minor fraction of the hemoglobin of ERYTHROCYTES.) It generally refers to glycated HEMOGLOBIN A. Hemoglobin A1c (Hb A1c) is hemoglobin A with GLYCATION on a terminal VALINE of the beta chain. Glycated hemoglobin A is used as an index of the average blood sugar level over a lifetime of erythrocytes. Fructated Hemoglobins,Glycohemoglobin,Glycohemoglobin A,Glycohemoglobins,Glycosylated Hemoglobin A,Hb A1c,HbA1,Hemoglobin A(1),Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated,Glycated Hemoglobin A,Glycated Hemoglobin A1c,Glycated Hemoglobins,Glycosylated Hemoglobin A1c,Hb A1,Hb A1a+b,Hb A1a-1,Hb A1a-2,Hb A1b,Hemoglobin, Glycated A1a-2,Hemoglobin, Glycated A1b,Hemoglobin, Glycosylated,Hemoglobin, Glycosylated A1a-1,Hemoglobin, Glycosylated A1b,A1a-1 Hemoglobin, Glycosylated,A1a-2 Hemoglobin, Glycated,A1b Hemoglobin, Glycated,A1b Hemoglobin, Glycosylated,Glycated A1a-2 Hemoglobin,Glycated A1b Hemoglobin,Glycosylated A1a-1 Hemoglobin,Glycosylated A1b Hemoglobin,Glycosylated Hemoglobin,Hemoglobin A, Glycated,Hemoglobin A1c, Glycated,Hemoglobin A1c, Glycosylated,Hemoglobin, Glycated,Hemoglobin, Glycated A1a 2,Hemoglobin, Glycosylated A1a 1,Hemoglobins, Fructated,Hemoglobins, Glycated
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D012648 Self Care Caring for self when ill or positive actions and adopting behaviors to prevent illness. Self-Care,Care, Self
D057187 Independent Living A housing and community arrangement that maximizes independence and self-determination. Aging in Place,Community Dwelling,Dwelling, Community,Dwellings, Community,Living, Independent

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