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Introduction: The purpose of this study was to characterize how family influences diabetes self-management in Mexican American adults. Methods: Data were analyzed from previously collected data that included 34 semi-structured interviews with Hispanic adults with diabetes and six focus groups with 37 adults with diabetes and family members. Themes related to family and diabetes management were identified and analyzed using a modified template approach. Results: Family-related facilitators to T2DM self-management were (1) provides support, (2) provides motivation, and (3) desire to protect family from diabetes. Family-related challenges were (1) lack of support, (2) family responsibilities, and (3) stress related to family. Diabetes education was shared with family members. Family member perspectives on T2DM included (1) not knowing how to help, (2) effect on emotional wellbeing, (3) diabetes affects the whole family, and (4) family provides support. Conclusion: Most participants with T2DM felt supported by family, but many desired more social support and support surrounding dietary changes from family. Many felt family did not understand what living with diabetes meant for them. Most family members wished to learn more about how to help. Future interventions should include family members and teach them supportive strategies to support beneficial diabetes self-management behaviors.

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Mexican-Americans carry a high burden of type 2 diabetes and are disproportionately affected by diabetes related mortality and morbidity. Poor adherence to medication is an important barrier to achieving metabolic control and contributes to adverse health outcomes and health disparities. Little is known about barriers and facilitators to medication adherence among Mexican-Americans with diabetes. This is a qualitative study of semi-structured interviews with a sample of 27 adults (25 Mexican-Americans and 2 Latinos of other origin) with self-reported type 2 diabetes who were recruited as part of a church-based, randomized controlled trial for diabetes self-management education in a low-income, immigrant neighborhood of Chicago. Face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted (one in English and 26 in Spanish), audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and professionally translated. Systematic qualitative methods were used to analyze interviews. All 27 participants were Latino, and 25 were of Mexican descent. Participants' mean age was 57 years, 81% were female, 69% had an annual income less than $20,000 and 48% had no health insurance. Mean A1C level was 8.6% and mean systolic blood pressure was 125 mmHg. The majority of participants (85%) reported using oral diabetes medication and 35% reported taking insulin. 76% reported being affiliated with one of the two partnering catholic churches based in the South Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago, also known as Little Village. Concerns regarding effectiveness and negative impact of diabetes medication were prevalent and expressed by 13 (48%) of 27 participants. Dissatisfaction with ineffective provider communication and not being able to pay for medication were other important barriers to adherence and were expressed by 7% and 11% of participants, respectively. Family support, for example, family members assisting in organizing medications in boxes and reminding participants to take them, was reported by 15% of participants and emerged as an important facilitator to medication adherence. There is a gap in research on factors influencing adherence to diabetes medication among Mexican-Americans. Our study suggests that concerns regarding negative impact of diabetes medication and concerns regarding effectiveness are prevalent barriers to adherence. These barriers can be addressed through educational efforts targeting patients and clinicians by specifically including content on beliefs that lead to poor adherence in diabetes self-management interventions for patients and continuing medical education for providers and by developing interventions that engage family members as a support system for medication adherence.

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Churches provide an innovative and underutilized setting for diabetes self-management programs for Latinos. This study sought to formulate a conceptual framework for designing church-based programs that are tailored to the needs of the Latino community and that utilize church strengths and resources. To inform this model, we conducted six focus groups with mostly Mexican-American Catholic adults with diabetes and their family members (N = 37) and found that participants were interested in church-based diabetes programs that emphasized information sharing, skills building, and social networking. Our model demonstrates that many of these requested components can be integrated into the current structure and function of the church. However, additional mechanisms to facilitate access to medical care may be necessary to support community members' diabetes care.

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We conducted interviews with 27 health care personnel in Bogotá, Colombia, to examine provider barriers and facilitators to screening for intimate partner violence (IPV). We used systematic qualitative analysis to identify the range and consistency of beliefs. We found that respondents did not routinely screen for IPV. Providers listed numerous barriers to screening. Ways to improve screening included increased clinician training, installing systematic IPV screening, providing patient education, and implementing health care setting interventions. Improving the care for IPV survivors will involve translating health care personnel preferred solutions into more systematic IPV screening interventions.

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