NCT02811874

Community Health Workers and Diabetes Education

Efficacy of Community Health Workers Education in Diabetes Control: A Randomized Clinical Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 118 (actual)
• Sponsor: Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 90 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

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).

Detailed 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.

Conditions

• Diabetes

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	diabetes education	Diabetes education program includes: 4 theoretical sessions, 60 minutes long, taught once a week for 4 weeks, developed in the form of group classes, and given by one of the authors. The educational program content comprises (1) definition of diabetes, and identification of modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes, (2) non-pharmacological treatment, with emphasis on diet and exercise, (3) pharmacological therapy, including mechanism of action and side effects of anti-diabetic medications provided by the Brazilian public health system and (4) an overview of chronic diabetes complications.
BEHAVIORAL	education in other areas	Four theoretical sessions related to education in other health areas, not related to diabetes, administered during 4 weeks

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-02-01
• Primary completion: 2010-03-01
• Completion: 2010-12-01
• First posted: 2016-06-23
• Last updated: 2016-06-23

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: Brazil