Michigan Men's Diabetes Project (MenD):

Diabetes Peer Leader Intervention

In the U.S., the age incidence rate of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) onset is highest among older adults (over 55). Black men have a 1.3 times higher incidence of T2D compared to non-Hispanic White men, and are twice as likely to die from diabetes-related complications. Peer leaders are trained lay individuals who provide ongoing diabetes self-management support to people with diabetes, particularly in communities of color. Peer leaders are trained in goal setting, problem-solving, and providing social and emotional support. Their shared cultural identity and community ties are critical components in improving diabetes management in minorities with T2D. However, despite studies showing that diabetes management interventions using peer leaders have been successful, the majority of both peer leaders and participants in those studies are women. The limited studies to date suggest that Black men with T2D prefer peer-led, male-to-male T2D programs. Use of male interventionists to promote health behavior change in men is also consistent with approaches used with other chronic illness populations such as Black men with HIV. In spite of the literature pointing to the success of peer-led behavioral interventions to improve diabetes self-management, such interventions may need to be tailored to meet the needs of older Black men with T2D in order to effectively reach and retain this population. The objective of this research is to adapt and preliminarily validate a peer leader intervention targeting diabetes-related lifestyle and self-management behaviors for use with older Black men with T2D. We aim to tailor an existing peer intervention by consulting male peers as interventionists and modifying the intervention content to focus on messaging appropriate for men. The study includes a developmental phase (adaptation of the intervention with expert feedback) and a validation phase (pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT). 

Funder: Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center and Michigan Blue Cross Blue Sheild Foundation