An e-health approach to foster diabetes knowledge of African Americans

The purpose of this study was to implement the evidence-based e-health intervention, eCare We Care, and to evaluate the effect of the intervention on diabetes knowledge among African Americans with diabetes. In addition, this project sought to uncover differences in outcomes of the eCare We Care intervention within this population based on selected demographic characteristics. Forty-six subjects participated in the study. Participants were African Americans 40-65 years old with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and low diabetes literacy. Using a pre- and post-intervention design, participants' diabetes knowledge was measured using a Diabetes Knowledge Survey both before and after receiving the e-health intervention. RM-ANOVA was used to examine the effect of intervention over time. A doubly multivariate repeated measures analysis was conducted in order to assess the effectiveness of E Health intervention (intervention group) compared to a paper-based one (control). Results of analysis indicated there was significant increase in diabetes knowledge from pre- to post-intervention in both groups; however, post-intervention gains were greater for the intervention group.