Abstract
An immigrant Hispanic population in the Texas-Mexico border region urgently requested assistance with diabetes. The project
team implemented an exploratory pilot intervention to prevent type 2 diabetes in the general population through enhanced nutrition
and physical activity. Social networks in low-income rural areas (colonias) participated in an adaptation of the Diabetes Empowerment Education Program. The program had a pre-post-test design with
a comparison group. The intervention had a small but significant effect in lowering body mass index, the biological outcome
variable. The process evaluation shows that the participants valued the pilot project and found it culturally and economically
appropriate. This program was the first primary prevention program in diabetes to address a general population successfully.
The study shows that low-income, rural Mexican American families will take ownership of a program that is participatory and
tailored to their culture and economic situation.
team implemented an exploratory pilot intervention to prevent type 2 diabetes in the general population through enhanced nutrition
and physical activity. Social networks in low-income rural areas (colonias) participated in an adaptation of the Diabetes Empowerment Education Program. The program had a pre-post-test design with
a comparison group. The intervention had a small but significant effect in lowering body mass index, the biological outcome
variable. The process evaluation shows that the participants valued the pilot project and found it culturally and economically
appropriate. This program was the first primary prevention program in diabetes to address a general population successfully.
The study shows that low-income, rural Mexican American families will take ownership of a program that is participatory and
tailored to their culture and economic situation.
- Content Type Journal Article
- DOI 10.1007/s10903-010-9412-y
- Authors
- Ann V. Millard, School of Rural Public Health-McAllen Campus, Texas A&M Health Science Center, McAllen, TX USA
- Margaret A. Graham, Department of Psychology and Anthropology, The Univerity of Texas-Pan American, 1201 West University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA
- Xiaohui Wang, Department of Mathematics, The University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg, TX USA
- Nelda Mier, School of Rural Public Health-McAllen Campus, Texas A&M Health Science Center, McAllen, TX USA
- Esmeralda R. Sánchez, International Valley Health Institute, Edinburg, TX USA
- Isidore Flores, International Valley Health Institute, Edinburg, TX USA
- Marta Elizondo-Fournier, Texas Department of State Health Services, Office of Border Health, Harlingen, TX USA
- Journal Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
- Online ISSN 1557-1920
- Print ISSN 1557-1912