A Culturally competent intervention of education and care for black women with type 2 diabetes

D’Eramo Melkus, Gail; Spollett, Geralyn; Jefferson, Vanessa; Chyun, Deborah; Tuohy, Beth; Robinson, Tanisha; Kaisen, Anne

doi:10.1016/j.apnr.2003.10.009

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Volume 17, Issue 1 , Pages 10-20, February 2004

A Culturally competent intervention of education and care for black women with type 2 diabetes☆

Presented in part at the University of North Carolina School of Nursing Center for Chronic Illness Annual Meeting Key Aspects of Chronic Illness, April 10, 1999, and at the 59^th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, San Diego, CA, June 21, 1999.

Gail D’Eramo Melkus, EdD, FAAN
- Yale University School of Nursing, New Haven, CT, USA
- Address reprint requests to Gail D’Eramo Melkus, EdD, FAAN, Yale University School of Nursing, PO Box 9740, New Haven, CT, 06536, USA
Geralyn Spollett, MSN, C-ANP
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
Vanessa Jefferson, MSN, C-ANP
- Yale University School of Nursing, New Haven, CT, USA
Deborah Chyun, PhD, RN
- Yale University School of Nursing, New Haven, CT, USA
Beth Tuohy, MSN, C-ANP
- Yale University School of Nursing, New Haven, CT, USA
Tanisha Robinson, MSN, C-FNP
- Yale University School of Nursing, New Haven, CT, USA
Anne Kaisen, MSN, C-ANP
- Yale University School of Nursing, New Haven, CT, USA

Abstract

This article reports on the development and pilot feasibility testing of a culturally competent intervention of education and care for black women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Using a one group, pretest posttest quasi-experimental design, the intervention was tested with a convenience sample of 25 community black women with T2DM. The conceptual basis, process, and content of the intervention as well as the feasibility and acceptability of study materials and methods are described. Significant improvements from baseline to 3 months were observed in measures of glycemic control, weight, body mass index, and diabetes-related emotional distress. The findings suggest that a culturally sensitive intervention of nurse practitioner diabetes care and education is beneficial for black women with T2DM, resulting in program attendance, kept appointments, improved glycemic control and weight, and decreased diabetes-related emotional distress.