Dulce Digital 2.0 - Innovative Diabetes Self-Management in the Digital Age

Resumen

Healthcare reform is a driving force with the imperative to identify low-cost and clinically effective methods to respond to the increasing healthcare needs. The U.S. has the highest prevalence of diabetes among individuals of minority and low socioeconomic status who are disproportionately affected. This project incorporates the inclusion of Diabetes self-management education (DSME) as an effective method to improve clinical and cost outcome and can be successfully tailored for ethnically diverse populations. The objective of this research is to conduct a direct comparison of live Project Dulce, telehealth Project Dulce, and Dulce Digital programs to explore each delivery modality's feasibility, acceptance, and effectiveness across Hispanic communities living with type 2 diabetes (DM2). Currently, we are in the recruitment and enrollment phase of the study. This includes identifying potential patients to participate in the study, obtaining their informed consent, and randomizing each participant in one of three arms: Dulce Digital, Project Dulce -Telehealth, and Project Dulce Live. The first arm will only receive text messages whereas arms 2 and 3 will be attending five DSME classes. The primary outcome will evaluate the change over time in the glycated hemoglobin test among participants enrolled in text-based Dulce Digital vs. Project Dulce Telehealth and Project Dulce Live. Previous studies of Project Dulce have shown a significant improvement in clinical diabetes care, self-awareness, and understanding of diabetes (Gilmer et al., 2005), but Dulce Digital uses a simple, low-cost text messaging program that has been found to be highly acceptable in high-risk, Hispanic individuals with DM2.