AHRQ Innovations Exchange | Telephone-Based Mentoring From Demographically Similar Peers Improves Diabetes Control in African-American Veterans

AHRQ Innovations Exchange | Telephone-Based Mentoring From Demographically Similar Peers Improves Diabetes Control in African-American Veterans

AHRQ’s Innovations Exchange Features Examples of Reducing Diabetes Disparities through Peer Support

The July 18 issue of AHRQ’s Health Care Innovations Exchange features two profiles of programs that used peer support to improve the outcomes of vulnerable patient populations, especially African-Americans. One such program at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center paired African-American veterans with diabetes who had their blood glucose under control with African-American veterans whose blood glucose was not controlled. After the mentors completed a one-hour training session, they telephoned, or met, with their assigned patients on a regular basis over a 6-month period to help them address challenges such as diet, exercise, and insulin use. The program significantly reduced blood glucose levels and generated a positive reaction from many participants. Select to read more innovations and tools related to peer support on the Health Care Innovations Exchange Web site, which contains more than 700 searchable innovations and 1,500 QualityTools.