Influence of patient immigrant status on physician trainee diabetes treatment decisions: a virtual patient experimental study.

To determine the effect of patient immigrant status on physician trainees' diabetes treatment decisions. Participants were 140 physician trainees ('providers'). Providers viewed videos and vignettes of virtual patients differing in immigrant status (born in Mexico or U.S.; other characteristics held constant). Analyses were completed at the group and individual levels. Providers were less likely to refer foreign-born (vs. U.S.-born) patients to endocrinology. Individual-level results showed an almost even split between treatment ratings for foreign-born vs. U.S.-born patients for three decisions (take no action, add oral hypoglycemic agent, add/switch to insulin), explaining why group-level differences for these ratings did not emerge (i.e., they were cancelled out). Physician trainees are less likely to refer foreign-born patients to endocrinology. Half of individual-level decisions were influenced by patient immigrant status, but group-level analyses mask these differences. Systematic treatment differences based on non-relevant factors could lead to adverse outcomes for immigrants.

50 Years of Behavioral Science in Diabetes: A 2020 Vision of the Future.

Editor's Note: This article is adapted from a speech Dr. de Groot delivered in June 2020 as President, Health Care & Education, of the American Diabetes Association. She delivered her address at the Association's 80th Scientific Sessions, which was held online as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019.

Depressive Symptoms, Antidepressant Medication Use, and Inflammatory Markers in the Diabetes Prevention Program.

OBJECTIVE: Antidepressant medication use (ADM) has been shown to predict diabetes. This article assessed the role of inflammatory markers in this relationship within the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). METHODS: DPP participants randomized to metformin (MET), life-style intervention (ILS), or placebo (PLB) were assessed for depression (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]) annually, ADM use semiannually, serum inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin 6 [IL-6]) at baseline and year 1, and diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) semiannually (for 3.2 years). RESULTS: At baseline (N = 3187), M (SD) body mass index was 34 (6) kg/m and the median (interquartile range) BDI score was 3 (1-7). One hundred eighty-one (5.7%) reported ADM use and 328 (10%) had BDI scores of 11 or higher. CRP and IL-6 levels did not differ by treatment group. Baseline ADM, but not BDI score, was associated with higher levels of baseline CRP adjusted for demographic, anthropometric variables, and other medications (20% higher, p = .01). Year 1 CRP decreased for non-ADM users in the MET (-13.2%) and ILS (-34%) groups and ADM users in the ILS group (-29%). No associations were found with IL-6. CRP and continuous use of ADM predicted incident T2DM in the PLB group. In the ILS group, continuous and intermittent ADM, but not CRP, predicted T2DM. In the MET group, CRP predicted incident T2DM. CRP did not mediate the risk of T2DM with ADM use in any group. CONCLUSIONS: ADM was significantly associated with elevated CRP and incident T2DM. In the PLB group, ADM and CRP independently predicted onset of T2DM; however, CRP did not significantly mediate the effect of ADM.

Program ACTIVE: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Treat Depression in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes in Rural Appalachia.

High rates of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and depression exist in rural Appalachia with limited access to psychotherapeutic treatment. No manualized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment materials exist that are culturally tailored for individuals in this region with T2DM. We describe the development of the Program ACTIVE CBT intervention for use with adults with T2DM and depression by mental health providers in rural Appalachia. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to test the feasibility and acceptability of Program ACTIVE. Intervention materials were rated at the 6th-7th grade reading level. Key informant interviews evaluated materials as culturally sensitive and accessible. Participants indicated high levels of satisfaction with therapy (94%), support from their therapist (86%), and usefulness of therapy and depression improvement (80.3%). Program ACTIVE was found to be a feasible and acceptable culturally tailored manualized CBT treatment for adults with T2DM and depression living in rural Appalachia. Implementation of these materials on a regional scale needs to be assessed.

Randomized controlled pilot trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction compared to psychoeducational support for persistently fatigued breast and colorectal cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a disruptive symptom for many survivors. Despite promising evidence for efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in reducing CRF, no trials comparing it to an active comparator for fatigued survivors have been published. The purpose of this trial was to compare MBSR to psychoeducation for CRF and associated symptoms. METHODS: Breast (n = 60) and colorectal (n = 11) cancer survivors (stage 0-III) with clinically significant CRF after completing chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy an average of 28 months prior to enrollment were randomized to MBSR or psychoeducation/support groups (PES). MBSR focused on mindfulness training; PES focused on CRF self-management. Outcomes included CRF interference (primary), CRF severity and global improvement, vitality, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and pain. Outcomes were assessed at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2), and 6-month follow-up (T3) using intent-to-treat analysis. RESULTS: Between-group differences in CRF interference were not significant at any time point; however, there was a trend favoring MBSR (d = -0.46, p = 0.073) at T2. MBSR participants reported significantly greater improvement in vitality (d = 0.53, p = 0.003) and were more likely to report CRF as moderately to completely improved compared to the PES group (χ2 (1) = 4.1765, p = 0.041) at T2. MBSR participants also reported significantly greater reductions in pain at T2 (d = 0.53, p = 0.014). In addition, both MBSR and PES produced moderate-to-large and significant within-group improvements in all fatigue outcomes, depression, anxiety, and sleep at T2 and T3 compared to T1. CONCLUSION: MBSR and PES appear efficacious for CRF and related symptoms. Larger trials including a usual care arm are warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01724333.

Depressive symptoms, antidepressant medication use, and new onset of diabetes in participants of the diabetes prevention program and the diabetes prevention program outcomes study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess in the Diabetes Prevention Program and Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study whether diagnosis of diabetes predicted elevated depressive symptoms (DS) or use of antidepressant medicine (ADM) following diagnosis; whether diabetes status or duration had significant effect on DS or ADM use; and to determine the associations between A1C, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), normalization of FPG, and DS or ADM use after diagnosis. METHODS: Diabetes Prevention Program participants in three treatment arms (intensive life style, metformin, placebo) were assessed for diabetes, glucose control, ADM use, and DS, measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Among 3234 participants, 1285 developed diabetes. Depression levels were measured before and after diabetes diagnosis. RESULTS: Neither DS nor use of ADM increased after diagnosis; higher FPG was associated with greater ADM use in the intensive life style arm; a 10-mg/dl rise in FPG is associated with greater odds of ADM use. Higher FPG and A1C were associated with higher BDI scores in all three arms; A 10-mg/dl rise in FPG had a 0.07 increase in BDI. A 1% higher A1c was associated with a 0.21-point increase in BDI. Normalization of FPG was associated with lower BDI. When FPG had normalized, there was a decrease of 0.30 points in the BDI score compared when FPG had not normalized. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to clinical attributions, diabetes diagnosis did not show an immediate impact on BDI scores or ADM use. Higher glucose levels after diagnosis were associated with a small but significantly higher BDI score and more ADM use. TRIAL REGISTRATION: DPPOS: NCT00038727; DPP: NCT00004992.

Diabetes and depression.

Diabetes and depression occur together approximately twice as frequently as would be predicted by chance alone. Comorbid diabetes and depression are a major clinical challenge as the outcomes of both conditions are worsened by the other. Although the psychological burden of diabetes may contribute to depression, this explanation does not fully explain the relationship between these 2 conditions. Both conditions may be driven by shared underlying biological and behavioral mechanisms, such as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation, inflammation, sleep disturbance, inactive lifestyle, poor dietary habits, and environmental and cultural risk factors. Depression is frequently missed in people with diabetes despite effective screening tools being available. Both psychological interventions and antidepressants are effective in treating depressive symptoms in people with diabetes but have mixed effects on glycemic control. Clear care pathways involving a multidisciplinary team are needed to obtain optimal medical and psychiatric outcomes for people with comorbid diabetes and depression.

Program ACTIVE II: 6- and 12-month outcomes of a treatment approach for major depressive disorder in adults with type 2 diabetes.

AIMS: To evaluate the long-term effects of behavioral treatments on glycemic and psychological outcomes for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: Program ACTIVE II was a multicenter randomized controlled comparative effectiveness trial of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exercise (EXER), combination treatment (CBT + EXER) and usual care (UC) for adults with MDD and T2D. RESULTS: Primary outcomes: change in A1c and depressive symptoms at 6- (N = 87) and 12-months (N = 75) from baseline. In those with a baseline A1c ≥7.0 %, CBT + EXER showed lasting A1c benefit at 6- (-1.2 %; SE: 0.6; p = 0.032) and 12-months (-1.4 %; SE: 0.6; p = 0.025) compared to UC. All groups had clinically significant improvements in depressive symptoms. At 6 months, CBT + EXER had significant improvements in diabetes-related distress regimen burden (p = 0.005); and social support (CIRS, p = 0.043) compared to UC. CONCLUSIONS: The Program ACTIVE II CBT + EXER intervention demonstrated a sustained improvement in A1c for a subgroup of study participants with a baseline A1c ≥7.0 %. However, this finding should be considered preliminary because of small sample size. All 3 behavioral intervention groups demonstrated improvements in psychosocial outcomes one-year post-intervention. These findings point to the enduring benefits of community-based interventions to extend the availability of depression treatment for T2D patients.

Bringing an end to diabetes stigma and discrimination: an international consensus statement on evidence and recommendations.

People with diabetes often encounter stigma (ie, negative social judgments, stereotypes, prejudice), which can adversely affect emotional, mental, and physical health; self-care, access to optimal health care; and social and professional opportunities. To accelerate an end to diabetes stigma and discrimination, an international multidisciplinary expert panel (n=51 members, from 18 countries) conducted rapid reviews and participated in a three-round Delphi survey process. We achieved consensus on 25 statements of evidence and 24 statements of recommendations. The consensus is that diabetes stigma is driven primarily by blame, perceptions of burden or sickness, invisibility, and fear or disgust. On average, four in five adults with diabetes experience diabetes stigma and one in five experience discrimination (ie, unfair and prejudicial treatment) due to diabetes, such as in health care, education, and employment. Diabetes stigma and discrimination are harmful, unacceptable, unethical, and counterproductive. Collective leadership is needed to proactively challenge, and bring an end to, diabetes stigma and discrimination. Consequently, we achieved unanimous consensus on a pledge to end diabetes stigma and discrimination.

Racial and ethnic disparities in diabetes complications in the northeastern United States: the role of socioeconomic status.

The role of socioeconomic status (SES) in explaining racial/ ethnic disparities in diabetes remains unclear. We investigated disparities in self-reported diabetes complications and the role of macro (eg, income, education) and micro (eg, owning a home or having a checking account) SES indicators in explaining these differences. The sample included individuals with a diagnosis of diabetes (N=795) who were aged, on average, 55 years, and 55.6% non-Hispanic white, 25.0% African American, and 19.4% Hispanic. Approximately 8% reported nephropathy, 35% reported retinopathy, and 16% reported cardiovascular disease. There were significant disparities in the rates of complications among non-Hispanic white, African American, and Hispanic participants, with Hispanic participants having the highest rates of nephropathy, retinopathy, and cardiovascular disease. Macro SES indicators (eg, income) mediated racial differences (ie, non-Hispanic whites vs African Americans) in self-reported retinopathy, a combination of macro and more micro SES indicators (eg, education, income, and ownirg a home or having a checking account) mediated racial/ethnic differences (ie, non-Hispanic white vs Hispanic participants) in self-reported cardiovascular disease, and only micro SES indicators (eg, owning a home or having a checking account) mediated differences between lower-income SES racial/ethnic minority groups (ie, African American vs Hispanic participants) in self-reported retinopathy and cardiovascular disease. Findings underscore that indicators of SES must be sensitive to the outcome of interest and the racial/ethnic groups being compared.

Diabetes and Depression: Strategies to Address a Common Comorbidity Within the Primary Care Context.

Diabetes and depression represent a prevalent, bidirectional, and impactful comorbidity that affects patient and family quality of life, glycemic self-management, long-term diabetes complications, usage of medical services, medical costs, and early mortality. Primary care providers (PCPs) are frequently the first medical providers to observe changes in mood and diabetes management, as well as the primary point of contact for making referrals to specialty providers (e.g. endocrinology, psychiatry). PCPs play a critical role in screening, evaluating, and treating these conditions. Critical to fostering and maintaining a position of trust and patient engagement in medication recommendations is the use of person-centered, nonjudgmental language used by the provider within the clinical encounter. Key strategies for the management of these conditions include the following: routine screening for depressive symptoms, securing access to behavioral health professionals, either within or beyond the primary care setting, collaboration with diabetes care and education specialists to support problem-solving of diabetes self-management, and monitoring the use and effectiveness of antidepressant medications.

The Diabetes Tune-Up Group: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Improve Diabetes Distress and A1C Among Adults With Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of delivering the Diabetes Tune-Up Group (DTU), a cognitive-behavioral-therapy-based (CBT) multidisciplinary intervention for adults with diabetes distress and elevated A1C using a group in-person delivery format. METHODS: The DTU intervention consisted of 6 weekly group sessions (90 minutes in duration per session). The groups were cofacilitated by a diabetes care and education specialist (DCES) and a master's-level clinical psychology trainee. The intervention integrated CBT with patient-centered diabetes education. Using a pre/post study design, participants completed assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months following the intervention. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 29 adults with type 1 diabetes (N = 8) or type 2 diabetes (N = 21) who were predominantly female (79%), White (59%), and educated (56% with a college degree or greater). Participants attended 131 total sessions out of 174 possible sessions, for an overall attendance rate of 75.3%. At 3-month follow-up, significant improvements were observed in A1C values (mean decrease = 0.39%). Diabetes distress improved significantly from baseline (mean = 3.44, SD = 0.68) to post-intervention (mean = 2.94, SD = 0.68), and 3-month follow-up (mean = 2.55, SD = 0.75). Significant improvements were also observed in diabetes self-efficacy from baseline to post-intervention and at 3-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This group-based, multidisciplinary intervention resulted in improvements in A1C, diabetes distress, and patient self-efficacy in caring for diabetes. Future studies to validate this intervention approach across settings and delivery platforms are needed.

Associations between Outpatient Laboratory Test Age and Healthcare Utilization in Type 2 Diabetes Care.

Purpose: To examine the longitudinal relationship between the age or shelf-life of common type 2 diabetes laboratory tests for serum creatinine, cholesterol, and glycated hemoglobin A1c conducted in outpatient settings and subsequent inpatient hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Methods: This study analyzes panel data from two healthcare delivery systems' electronic health records (EHR) for patients aged 18 years and older managing type 2 diabetes. We used EHR data to quantify the age of three laboratory tests: serum creatinine, cholesterol, and glycated hemoglobin A1c. Encounter data were used to determine the frequency of inpatient hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Negative binomial regressions with fixed effects were performed to compute marginal effects, levels of statistical significance, and 95% confidence intervals. Results: The average age for serum creatinine laboratory tests was 1.51 months (95%CI: 1.49-1.53). We computed older average ages for hemoglobin A1c (mean:6.17 months; 95%CI: 6.11-6.23) and serum creatinine tests (mean: 8.73; 95%CI: 8.65-8.81). Older laboratory tests were associated with an increase in the total expected counts of subsequent inpatient hospitalizations (ME = 0.047; p < 0.001) and ED visits (ME = 0.034; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate that older type 2 diabetes laboratory tests are associated with increases in the total expected count of subsequent inpatient hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Future research should examine the actionability of laboratory test values to determine associations with healthcare outcomes. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-023-01250-0.

Barriers and facilitators to mental health promotion for Mexican immigrants in the U.S. through the Ventanillas de Salud program.

Introduction: Mental health promotion and screenings are recommended as part of standard preventive care. Mexican immigrants in the U.S. are at high risk for mental health illness especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, however access to mental health prevention for this population has been limited, which results in important implementation and equity gaps. The Ventanilla de Salud (VDS) program provides preventive services through Mexican consulates in the U.S. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess capability, opportunity, and motivation for promotores to implement mental health programming through the VDS, leveraging early experiences of ongoing mental health prevention efforts. Methods: This was a qualitative study using the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation for Behavior Change model (COM-B). We conducted 9 focus groups with 40 VDS promotores and 6 semi-structured interviews with program stakeholders. Data were analyzed using inductive and deductive coding. Results: We found high levels of interest from the leadership, partners, and promotores to provide mental health services through the VDS. Early implementation of a mental health strategy that included training sessions for promotores and mental health promotion, screenings and referrals for VDS users was ongoing. We identified facilitators and barriers that could affect capability, opportunity, and motivation to provide mental health services. Facilitators included promotores' extensive knowledge about the importance of mental health, promotores service mindset and commitment to provide services to VDS users, and general support from the VDS network and partners. Barriers included promotores' turnover, need for additional economic compensation, burnout, competing priorities, and lack of mental health professionals to provide clinical services or supervision. Additional investments are recommended to support promotores' well-being. Conclusion: The main lesson learned from this study was that investing in VDS promotores' training, resources, and well-being is key to their capability, opportunity and motivation to provide mental health services for Mexican immigrants in the US. Results from this study can be applied to improve the ongoing VDS mental health strategy and increase its impact on the mental health of Mexican immigrants.

Can lifestyle interventions do more than reduce diabetes risk? Treating depression in adults with type 2 diabetes with exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy.

The epidemic of metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes is global in scope and comprehensive in its impact on individuals, health care systems, and societies. One in four patients with diabetes will experience depression in their lifetime. Comorbid depression is associated with poorer outcomes, greater functional disability, and early mortality. Prior studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of exercise as an efficacious form of treatment for depression in the general population. Few studies have evaluated this strategy in patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Program ACTIVE (Appalachians Coming Together to Increase Vital Exercise) was designed to treat depression among adults with type 2 diabetes by pairing aerobic activity with individual cognitive behavioral therapy. This combination treatment approach has been shown to be feasible to implement in a rural environment and promising in terms of depression, diabetes, and cardiovascular outcomes. Data from this study suggest that exercise can be used to achieve multiple benefits for adults with type 2 diabetes. Future work to compare this approach to singular treatment strategies for adults at risk for type 2 diabetes is needed.

Emotional Correlates of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Individuals With and Without Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the mental health experiences associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in adults with and without diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Between 29 May 2020 and 30 June 2020, 2,176 U.S. adults completed an online survey including demographics, COVID-19 experiences, depression (eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire) and anxiety (seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder) symptoms, perceived stress (10-item Perceived Stress Scale), resilience (Brief Resilience Scale), and diabetes-related distress (in participants with diabetes) (17-item Diabetes Distress Scale). RESULTS: Mean age was 49.6 years (SD 16.9); participants were primarily women (80.0%) and White (88.3%), with an annual household income of ≥$60,000 (57.6%). One hundred reported a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (4.6%), 304 type 2 diabetes (13.9%), and 145 prediabetes (6.6%). Nearly one-third (29.7%) indicated decreases in income attributable to the pandemic. Participants with type 1 diabetes had higher levels of diabetes distress than participants with type 2 diabetes (P < 0.05), with moderate severity in both groups. Participants with type 2 diabetes had significantly more comorbidities and COVID-19 risk factors than all other groups (all P < 0.01). After controlling for covariates, participants with type 2 diabetes reported significantly more depressive symptoms than those without diabetes (P < 0.05) and lower levels of resilience (P < 0.05). Subgroup analyses by sex and age indicated that women and younger adults, particularly those age 18-34 years, reported significantly more depression and anxiety symptoms, stress, and diabetes-related distress and lower levels of resilience than men and adults age ≥51 years. CONCLUSIONS: In this naturalistic observational study, participants with type 2 diabetes reported more depression, lower resilience, and significantly more COVID-19 risk factors and medical comorbidities than participants without diabetes. Overall, our participants demonstrated worse depression and anxiety symptoms during compared with before the pandemic.

Diabetes distress, emotional regulation, HbA1c in people with diabetes and A controlled pilot study of an emotion-focused behavioral therapy intervention in adults with type 2 diabetes.

AIM: One potential barrier for people with diabetes to reach glycemic goals is diabetes distress. Accumulating evidence suggests diabetes distress may be linked to individuals' emotion regulation capacities. Thus, we conducted two studies to elucidate a model for how emotion regulation impacts diabetes distress and A1c levels and determine preliminary effect size estimates for an intervention targeting poor emotion regulation on glycemic control. METHODS: Study I used structural equation modeling to assess the cross-sectional relationships between these variables in a sample of 216 individuals with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Study II built on findings from Study I that highlighted the role of emotion regulation capacities in diabetes distress and A1c by conducting a pilot study of an emotion-focused behavioral intervention compared to treatment as usual in a sample of individuals with Type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: Study I examined two potential explanatory models with one of the models (Model II) showing a more comprehensive view of the data revealing a total effect of poor emotional regulation of 42% of all effects on A1c levels. Study II tested an emotion-focused behavioral intervention in patients with Type 2 diabetes compared to treatment as usual and found medium sized reductions in A1c levels and smaller reductions in diabetes distress that correlated with changes in emotion regulation. CONCLUSIONS: These studies suggest that, in people with diabetes, elevated A1c levels and diabetes distress are linked with poor emotion regulation. While the effect sizes from Study 2 are preliminary, an emotion-focused behavioral intervention may reduce both A1c and diabetes distress levels, through improvements in emotion regulation. Overall, these data suggest that targeting difficulties in emotion regulation may hold promise for maximizing improvement in diabetes distress and A1c in individuals with diabetes.

Improving Care for People Living With Dementia and Diabetes: Applying the Human-Centered Design Process to Continuous Glucose Monitoring.

People with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias and diabetes mellitus (ADRD-DM) are at high risk for hypoglycemic events. Their cognitive impairment and psychosocial situation often hinder detection of hypoglycemia. Extending use and benefits of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to people with ADRD-DM could improve hypoglycemia detection, inform care, and reduce adverse events. However, cognitive impairment associated with ADRD presents unique challenges for CGM use. This commentary proposes applying the human-centered design process to CGM, investigating design solutions or interventions needed to integrate CGM into the health care of patients with ADRD-DM. With this process, we can identify and inform CGM designs for people with ADRD-DM, broadening CGM access, increasing detection and treatment of the silent threat posed by hypoglycemia.

A Window Into Mental Health: Developing and Pilot-Testing a Mental Health Promotion Intervention for Mexican Immigrants Through the Ventanilla de Salud Program.

Background: Mexican immigrants in the United States face mental health challenges, disparities, and limited access to healthcare; however, mental health promotion efforts specifically targeting this population have been insufficient. The objective of this study was to develop and test a mental health promotion intervention based on protective mental health factors and coping strategies for Mexican immigrants recruited through a free, consulate-based program in Atlanta. Material and Methods: Working with the Ventanilla de Salud program, we conducted a longitudinal study in three phases: formative research and design, pre-intervention assessment and post-implementation evaluation. The intervention was designed based on the health promotion model and interviews with stakeholders. Qualitative information was collected by semi-structured interviews with participants before and after the intervention. Quantitative outcomes were knowledge about protective factors and coping mechanisms, and psychosocial distress. Differences were assessed using the Wilcoxon non-parametrical test. Intent-to-treat analysis was conducted with all participants who signed the informed consent (carrying last observation forward), and a complete case analysis was conducted with those who attended at least 70% of the sessions and completed the post- implementation evaluation. Results: Twenty-five participants were enrolled in the intervention. Mean age was 38 years, and the majority were women. Only nine participants attended at least 70% of the sessions and completed the final evaluation. Men, those who did not complete high school, and workers in service or construction jobs were more likely to drop out. Knowledge about protective factors [pre- vs. post-intervention median (inter-quartile range) = 111 (100, 120) vs. 115 (100, 124)] and coping mechanisms [96 (85, 104) vs. 99 (90, 110)], as well as psychosocial distress [3 (2, 3) vs. 2 (2, 3)] improved after the intervention in both intent-to treat and complete case analyses (p < 0.05). Qualitative results also support improvements in targeted protective factors. Discussion: The intervention was successful in improving psychological distress among Mexican immigrants. These results support the implementation of evidence-based mental health promotion interventions among Mexican immigrants via free and familiar programs. A limitation was the high attrition; future studies should explore approaches to improve retention in this population.

Building a pipeline of training for behavioral diabetes researchers and clinicians: a call for national dialogue.

In the context of a diabetes epidemic and health care workforce crisis in the United States, a national dialogue is needed to identify the pathways and mechanisms for training a cohort of behavioral diabetes researchers and clinicians. Over the past 40 years, the field of behavioral diabetes in the United States has emerged from a coalition of individual clinicians and researchers to a specialty field. At present, additional strategies are needed to expand the workforce to keep pace with the increasing prevalence of diabetes and the changing demographic trends. We review the training resources currently available and outline the challenges to trainees at all stages of career development. Recommendations include the following: establishing a Task Force for Behavioral Diabetes Training and Professional Development charged with the creation of a national database of researchers and the development of a training model for this interdisciplinary field; creating a national, collaborative training network; and increasing the number of funding mechanisms for all professionals in behavioral diabetes.