Socio-demographic Psychosocial and Clinical Characteristics of Participants in e-HealthyStrides©: An Interactive ehealth Program to Improve Diabetes Self-Management Skills

• Published in: Journal of health care for the poor and underserved Vol. 22; no. 5; pp. 146 - 164
• Main Authors: Pemu, Priscilla E, Quarshie, Alexander Q, Josiah-Willock, R, Ojutalayo, Folake O, Alema-Mensah, Ernest, Ofili, Elizabeth O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Johns Hopkins University Press 01.11.2011
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Behavior; Behavior Modification; Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; Blood Pressure; Chronic illnesses; Community support; Consumer Health Information; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus - blood; Diabetes Mellitus - diagnosis; Diabetes Mellitus - psychology; Diabetics; Empowerment; Female; Females; Follow-Up Studies; Glycated Hemoglobin A - analysis; Goals; Health education; Heart attacks; Hospitals; Humans; Internet; Knowledge; Male; Middle Aged; Patient education; Pilot Projects; Psychosocial Factors; Self Care - psychology; Selfmanagement; Social Networking; Social Networks; Social Programs; Social research; Social Support; Studies; Telemedicine; Treatment Outcome; Variables
• ISSN: 1049-2089; 1548-6869; 1548-6869
• DOI: 10.1353/hpu.2011.0162

Diabetes self-management (DSM) training helps prevent diabetic complications. eHealth approaches may improve its optimal use. The aims were to determine a) acceptability of e-HealthyStrides© (an interactive, Internet-based, patient-driven, diabetes self-management support and social networking program) among Morehouse Community Physicians' Network diabetics; b) efficacy for DSM behavior change c) success factors for use of e-HealthyStrides©. Baseline characteristics of pilot study participants are reported. Of those approached, 13.8% agreed to participate. Among participants, 96% were Black, 77% female; age 56±9.2 years; education: 44% college or higher and 15% less than 12th grade; 92.5% with home computers. Over half (51%) failed the Diabetes Knowledge Test. Nearly half (47%) were at goal A1C; 24% at goal blood pressure; 3% at goal LDL cholesterol level. Median (SD) Diabetes Empowerment Scale score = 3.93 (0.72) but managing psychosocial aspects = 3.89 (0.89) scored lower than other domains. There was low overall confidence for DSM behaviors. Assistance with healthy eating was the most frequently requested service. Requestors were more obese with worse A1C than others. Chronic care delivery scored average with high scores for counseling and problem solving but low scores for care coordination and follow up.