A pilot community-based Diabetes Prevention and Management Program for adults with diabetes and prediabetes.

Background: West Virginia is a rural state with high rates of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and prediabetes. The Diabetes Prevention and Management (DPM) program was a health coach (HC)-led, 12-month community-based lifestyle intervention.

Objective: The study examined the impact of the DPM program on changes in glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) and weight over twelve months among rural adults with diabetes and prediabetes.

Prepandemic Feasibility of Tele-Exercise as an Alternative Delivery Mode for an Evidence-Based, Tai Ji Quan Fall-Prevention Intervention for Older Adults.

There is a critical need for fall-prevention interventions to reach medically underserved, hard-to-reach, rural older adults. The evidence-based Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance (TJQMBB) program reduces falls in older adults. This pre-COVID-19 pandemic study assessed the feasibility and impact of a 16-week tele-TJQMBB intervention in older adults.

Educational Intervention to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Rural Patients with Chronic Diseases: Lessons Learned from An Innovative Academic-Community Partnership.

Background: The pandemic has disproportionately impacted rural communities with a higher burden of chronic disease and COVID-19 infection. West Virginia is a rural state with a high rate of diabetes, hypertension, and COPD, which are known risk factors for severe COVID-19 and long COVID. Yet, there is a significant hesitancy regarding COVID-19 vaccination uptake in the state.

Addressing Diabetes Distress in Self-Management Programs: Results of a Randomized Feasibility Study.

Background: West Virginia ranks 1st nationally in the prevalence of hypertension (HTN; 43.8%) and diabetes (16.2%).

Predictors of diabetes risk perception among college students.

To explore the diabetes knowledge and future disease risk perception of college students. 697 college students were purposefully recruited at a large state university and completed an online survey. Diabetes knowledge, future disease risk perception, lifestyle, and demographic factors were assessed.

Perceived Benefits and Barriers of a Community-Based Diabetes Prevention and Management Program.

This study examined the perceptions of benefits of and barriers to participating in a community-based diabetes program to improve program effectiveness. The Diabetes Prevention and Management (DPM) program was a twenty-two session, 1-year program, modeled after the evidence-based National Diabetes Prevention Program and AADE7 Self-Care Behaviors framework. Community-based participatory research approach was used to culturally tailor the curriculum.

The Effect of Adherence to Dietary Tracking on Weight Loss: Using HLM to Model Weight Loss over Time.

The role of dietary tracking on weight loss remains unexplored despite being part of multiple diabetes and weight management programs. Hence, participants of the Diabetes Prevention and Management (DPM) program (12 months, 22 sessions) tracked their food intake for the duration of the study. A scatterplot of days tracked versus total weight loss revealed a nonlinear relationship.