Lessons Learned from 20 Years of Diabetes Self-Management Research With Mexican Americans in Starr County, Texas

Purpose The purpose is to provide an overview of a 20-year research program aimed at testing diabetes self-management education interventions culturally tailored for Mexican Americans residing in an impoverished rural community on the Texas-Mexico border.

Methods The research program involved focus group interviews to obtain community input, pilot testing to refine instruments and interventions, and community-based randomized controlled trials to examine intervention effects. Here the authors summarize lessons learned related to the (1) overall effects of culturally tailored diabetes self-management education; (2) impact of culture on study design, intervention development, health outcomes, and community acceptance; (3) benefits of and findings from multiple focus groups held over time in the community; and (4) personal and cultural motivators for behavioral change that were evident among study participants.  Read More