The Hispanic Health Council is wrapping up a study designed to examine the impact of home-based peer counseling on behavioral, metabolic and health outcomes among inner-city Latino/as with Type 2 diabetes. Trained peer counselors help clients adhere to clinical guidance by providing education about nutrition, grocery shopping, exercise, and diabetes medical management. Peer counselors also provide care coordination, support and advocacy. Services are carefully tailored to meet the needs and abilities of each participant. Investigators believe that once complete the study will inform policy makers about the efficacy of peer counseling for diabetes management and assist with decisions about whether similar peer counseling programs merit funding. The study, known as DIALBEST, is being completed in partnership with the University of Connecticut and Hartford Hospital as part of the NIH-export Center for Eliminating Health Disparities Among Latinos (CEHDL).CEHDL
For more information, contact Sofia Segura-Perez, associate director of the Center for Community Nutrition (860) 527-0856, ext. 260 or e-mail sofias@hispanichealth.com