41-LB: Effectiveness of a Two-Year Peer Support Diabetes Education Intervention Implemented in a Semiurban Mayan Community in the Yucatan, Mexico

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence in adults has increased significantly in Mexico in recent years. In the Mayan population, factors like poverty and language barriers intensify the problems of living with T2D. Peer support is a promising approach to diabetes care as it helps patients to support each other throughout their everyday lives. This program was first evaluated by our group in Komchen, a rural mayan community, where peer support had significant reductions in A1c levels at 4 and 8 months of follow-up. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of a two-year peer support education program for patients with T2D in a semi-urban Mexican Mayan community. Methods: Patients with previous diagnosis of T2D were recruited from the community clinics (n=156) and randomized to: 1) Participants invited to attend the Education Program (EP)delivered by a certified diabetes educator; or 2) Participants were invited to attend the EP plus peer support meetings (PSM) facilitated by leaders with type 2 diabetes. Results: Unlike our experience in Komchen, adherence to the EP in Conkal, a more populated and urbanized town, was lower: 80% in Komchen vs. 33% in Conkal, the same fact occurred for PSM. We found a relevant clinical difference in A1c level between groups (Figure 1) although difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions: It remains a tendency to maintain or decrease A1C levels through time on intervention groups compared to the control. Disclosure K.G. Castillo-Hernández: None. H. Laviada: None. A. Espinosa-Marrón: None. F. Molina: None. Funding AstraZeneca Mexico (D1843L00017)