542-P: Club: A Novel Approach to Improve Self-Management in Youth with Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Background: Adherence with treatment recommendations is challenging for many youths with type 2diabetes (T2D). Interventions to address their specific barriers are needed. Objective: CLUB (Control your diabetes by Learning life skills and Understanding your Barriers) is a group intervention that targets the unique psychosocial needs of youth with T2D. The objectives are to foster peer support, enhance diabetes-related skill acquisition, and facilitate emotional adjustment to T2D and its management. Methods: Youth with HbA1c > 8% are referred to CLUB. CLUB includes four sessions over a 6-monthperiod. Youth meet as a group and parents convene separately. A pediatric psychologist facilitates the youth group. A bilingual nurse practitioner facilitates parent groups in English and Spanish. CLUB participants were matched with controls by gender, age, and duration of diagnosis. Results: Of the 105 referred patients, 64 patients attended at least one session and 42 patients completed at least three sessions. Mean age of youth in the latter cohort was 15.3 years (SD 2.0yrs) and 70% were female. Ethnic background of the participants was predominantly Latinx. Median duration of diabetes diagnosis was 2.0 years (IQR 2.2 yrs). Mean HbA1cbaseline was 11.0%(SD 2.2%). Baseline HbA1c did not differ between cohorts. CLUB participation did not improveHbA1c (mean change in HbA1cControl =-0.14% and HbA1cCLUB=-0.32%, P=0.7283), but there was a positive correlation between HbA1c change (HbA1cfinal-HbA1cbaseline) and the time to completion of CLUB (P=0.0087). Conclusion: CLUB is an innovative program that targets psychosocial barriers for youth with T2D. Though participants’ HbA1c did not improve, youth and their parents reported enjoyment of their experience. Preliminary data suggests that consistent participation in CLUB yielded a greater reduction in HbA1c compared to program completion over longer periods of time. This model and its potential to improve T2D health behaviors for diverse youth will be further examined. Disclosure N. T. Chang: None. C. E. Muñoz: None. P. M. Yasuda: None. L. Chao: None.