Pfizer
Amigos en Salud (“Friends in Health”)
In the United States today, diabetes disproportionately affects the Hispanic population, the largest minority and fastest-growing population group in the country. Prevalence rates are highest among Hispanics whose income falls below the federal poverty level (17.2 percent) and those who are obese (15.5 percent). The prevalence of diabetes is almost twice that of non-Hispanic whites of similar age, and the number of Hispanics diagnosed with diabetes is projected to double between 2002 and 2020.
Amigos en Salud is a culturally relevant education program that improves the health of underserved Hispanics living with diabetes and depression. Using community health workers or “promotores,” the 10-week education program focuses on providing people with the tools they need to manage their disease in a way that complements their culture and lifestyle. Community health workers who teach the course come from similar cultures and help participants overcome the myths and misconceptions about diabetes and depression that may exist within the culture.
Program objectives include:
- Helping participants understand their condition.
- Teaching better patient/physician communication skills.
- Encouraging and sustaining behavior changes such as smoking cessation, exercise and healthy diets.
- Supporting development of self-management skills such as self-testing.
Results:
- Lower mean A1c with 64% achieving the goal of <7.0%
- Average total cholesterol decreased from 214 mg/dL to 199 mg/dL
- Average LDL cholesterol decreased from 128 mg/dL to 116 mg/dL
- 30-150% average increase in knowledge of diet, disease process, insulin and blood sugar
- 13% decrease in mean A1c
- Average total cholesterol decreased from 199 mg/dL to 173 mg/dL
- 50-300% average increase in knowledge of diet, disease process, insulin and blood sugar
- 10% decrease in mean A1c
- Glucose monitoring increased by an average of 29%
- Depression scores improved by an average of 53%
- Lower mean A1c with 61% achieving the goal of <7.0%
- Average LDL cholesterol decreased with 83% meeting goal of <100 mg/dL
- Average triglycerides decreased with 76% below goal of <150 mg/dL
- Self-reported behavioral changes were also noted in healthy eating and regular physical activity with an average of 48% reporting regular strenuous exercise
- Self-reported depression severity score decreased on average from 8.3 at baseline to 4.9 at follow-up
*** Submitted by Ken Babamoto, Director, Program Design, Pfizer Inc, ken.babamoto@pfizer.com
Published: January 26, 2009
