Participation of lower-to-middle wage workers in a study of Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) effectiveness: Implications for reducing chronic disease burden among racial and ethnic minority populations.

Background: Although the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) improves chronic disease outcomes, little is known about CDSMP participation in populations less than 65 years of age. We explore study and CDSMP participation rates by demographic characteristics with younger (40-64 years old), lower-to-middle wage workers with chronic disease in a randomized clinical trial (RCT) conducted in North Carolina.

Methods: Descriptive statistics and regression models were used to examine associations between demographic, chronic disease burden, and employment variables, and time-dependent study enrollment and intervention participation outcomes that ranged from initiating consent (n = 1,067) to CDSMP completion (n = 41).

Results: Overall, participation among non-Whites was disproportionately higher (43%-59%) than that of Whites (42%-57%) relative to the age-matched racial composition of North Carolina (31% non-White and 69% White). Among participants randomized to the CDSMP, racial and ethnic minorities had the highest rates of participation. There were no significant demographic, chronic disease burden, or employment predictors among the participation outcomes examined, although this may have been due to the limited number of CDSMP workshop participation observations.

Conclusions: Extending the CDSMP to lower-to-middle wage workers may be particularly effective in reaching racial and ethnic minority populations, who complete the program to a greater extent than their White, non-Hispanic counterparts.