Community Health Workers and Diabetes Education

Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre

Status: Completed

Conditions: Diabetes

Treatments: Behavioral: diabetes education; Behavioral: education in other areas

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02811874

09-069

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a diabetes education program delivered to CHW in improving the metabolic control of patients with type 2 DM.

The study is a randomized controlled trial conducted in a primary care unit. Eight CHW, providing care for 118 patients, are randomized in two groups to receive a one-month diabetes education program (intervention group, patients n= 62) or an education course in other health issues (control group, patients n= 56).

Full description

Background: In Brazil, community health workers (CHW) are members of the community hired by the government to provide education and care for patients for a broad range of health issues, including diabetes mellitus (DM). However, few CHW are trained for diabetes education and little is known about the effectiveness of their interventions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a diabetes education program delivered to CHW in improving the metabolic control of patients with type 2 DM.

Materials and methods: the study is a randomized controlled trial conducted in a primary care unit. Eight CHW, providing care for 118 patients, are randomized in two groups to receive a one-month diabetes education program (intervention group, patients n= 62) or an education course in other health issues (control group, patients n= 56). Each CHW is responsible for transmitting the acquired knowledge to patients from their respective working areas. The primary outcome is change in HbA1C three months after intervention.

Enrollment: 118 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 90 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adult patients with diabetes mellitus who live in the community of the health care unit and who agree to participate the study.

Exclusion criteria

• None.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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118 participants in 2 patient groups

diabetes education

Experimental group

Description:

Four community health workers receive a one-month diabetes education program (intervention group, patients n= 62)

Treatment:

Behavioral: diabetes education

education in other areas

Active Comparator group

Description:

Four community health workers receive an education course in other health issues (control group, patients n= 56).

Treatment:

Behavioral: education in other areas