Healthy Outcomes through Peer Educators: Feasibility of a peer support diabetes prevention programme for African‐American grandmother caregivers

Aim To assess the protocol feasibility and intervention acceptability of a community‐based, peer support diabetes prevention programme (DPP) for African‐American (AA) grandmother caregivers at risk for diabetes. Materials and Methods Grandmother caregivers were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to DPP (active comparator) or DPP plus HOPE (Healthy Outcomes through Peer Educators; intervention). DPP + HOPE incorporated support from a peer educator who met with participants in person or by telephone every week during the 1‐year intervention. Outcomes included: (1) recruitment rates, outcome assessment, and participation adherence rates assessed quantitatively; and (2) acceptability of the programme assessed through end‐of‐programme focus groups. Results We successfully consented and enrolled 78% (n = 35) of the 45 AA grandmothers screened for eligibility. Eighty percent of participants (aged 64.4 ± 5.7 years) were retained up to Week 48 (74% for DPP [n = 17] and 92% for DPP + HOPE [n = 11]). All grandmothers identified social support, neighbourhood safety, and access to grocery stores as influences on their health behaviours. At Month 12, the active comparator (DPP) group and the intervention group (DPP + HOPE) had a mean change in body weight from baseline of −3.5 ± 5.5 (−0.68, −6.29) kg and − 4.4 ± 5.7 (−0.59, −8.2) kg, respectively. Conclusions This viable study met the aim of educating and equipping AA grandmothers with the practical and sustained support needed to work toward better health for themselves and their grandchildren, who may be at risk for diabetes. The intervention was both feasible and acceptable to participating grandmothers and their organizations.