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Abstract
This study examined the effects of a community-based diabetes self-management (DSM) and physical activity intervention on diabetes control in older adults from 33 senior centers in Georgia. Participants were a convenience sample (N = 144, mean age = 74 years, 84% female, 42% Caucasian, 57% African American). The pre- and post-tests included measurements of A1c and self-assessment of 12 DSM behaviors. At the pre-test, participants mean A1c was 7.0 1.4% and 17% had A1c greater than 8%, which represents poor glucose control. During the 4 month intervention participants attended up to 8 lessons focused on DSM. At the post-test, participants significantly increased their DSM behaviors by an additional 1 or more days in these areas (P < .0001): following a healthy eating plan, following an eating plan prescribed by their doctor, eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables, spacing carbohydrates, and inspecting the insides of their shoes. The mean decrease in A1c for the entire sample was 0.25% (SD = 0.82, N = 144, P = .0004) and those with an initial A1c >8% had a clinically and statistically significant decrease of 1.15% (SD = 1.09, n = 24, pre-test: 9.48% vs. 8.33%, P < .0001,). In summary, this intervention was found to be a feasible and efficacious approach to significantly improving A1c and DSM behaviors in older adults in community-based senior centers throughout Georgia.