We found that Latinos with diabetes preferred a group-based diabetes intervention compared to a telephone-based one-to-one peer support program. Both interventions would provide opportunities to share knowledge regarding diabetes, but the group education model was perceived to offer more opportunity to engage with
We found that Latinos with diabetes preferred a group-based diabetes intervention compared to a telephone-based one-to-one peer support program. Both interventions would provide opportunities to share knowledge regarding diabetes, but the group education model was perceived to offer more opportunity to engage with community members and learn from people with a range of experience with diabetes. Participants noted many grievances regarding the one-to-one intervention, such as the impersonal nature of telephone calls and wanting to interact with peers with a range of diabetes experience. However, participants believed the peer intervention could be a natural outgrowth of the group meetings.
Despite the recent increase in use of peer-based interventions, we found that not all types of interventions were acceptable to our participants. Most of our participants had concerns about a telephone-based one-to-one peer intervention. While Latinos have a high rate of cellular telephone use, many participants mentioned the difficulty of calling and getting in touch with participants due to busy schedules and competing interests.26
Additionally, contrary to other studies that support the use of telephone-based programs to provide participants with privacy and help them overcome geographic barriers, our participants desired face-to-face contact. The impersonal nature of telephone conversations impeded them from forming a trusting bond with their partner, especially with someone whom they have never met before. The idea of “simpatía,” an emphasis on the need for pleasant social relationships, and “personalismo,” a desire for a formal friendliness with others, may have impacted their prefer