Ricci-Cabello, IgnacioRuiz-Pérez, IsabelRojas-García, AntonioPastor, GuadalupeRodríguez-Barranco, MiguelGonçalves, Daniela C2015-01-232015-01-232014-07-19Ricci-Cabello I, Ruiz-Pérez I, Rojas-García A, Pastor G, Rodríguez-Barranco M, Gonçalves DC. Characteristics and effectiveness of diabetes self-management educational programs targeted to racial/ethnic minority groups: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression. BMC Endocr Disord 2014; 14:601472-6823http://hdl.handle.net/10668/1799Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't;BACKGROUND It is not clear to what extent educational programs aimed at promoting diabetes self-management in ethnic minority groups are effective. The aim of this work was to systematically review the effectiveness of educational programs to promote the self-management of racial/ethnic minority groups with type 2 diabetes, and to identify programs' characteristics associated with greater success. METHODS We undertook a systematic literature review. Specific searches were designed and implemented for Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scirus, Current Contents and nine additional sources (from inception to October 2012). We included experimental and quasi-experimental studies assessing the impact of educational programs targeted to racial/ethnic minority groups with type 2 diabetes. We only included interventions conducted in countries members of the OECD. Two reviewers independently screened citations. Structured forms were used to extract information on intervention characteristics, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness. When possible, we conducted random-effects meta-analyses using standardized mean differences to obtain aggregate estimates of effect size with 95% confidence intervals. Two reviewers independently extracted all the information and critically appraised the studies. RESULTS We identified thirty-seven studies reporting on thirty-nine educational programs. Most of them were conducted in the US, with African American or Latino participants. Most programs obtained some benefits over standard care in improving diabetes knowledge, self-management behaviors and clinical outcomes. A meta-analysis of 20 randomized controlled trials (3,094 patients) indicated that the programs produced a reduction in glycated hemoglobin of -0.31% (95% CI -0.48% to -0.14%). Diabetes knowledge and self-management measures were too heterogeneous to pool. Meta-regressions showed larger reduction in glycated hemoglobin in individual and face to face delivered interventions, as well as in those involving peer educators, including cognitive reframing techniques, and a lower number of teaching methods. The long-term effects remain unknown and cost-effectiveness was rarely estimated. CONCLUSIONS Diabetes self-management educational programs targeted to racial/ethnic minority groups can produce a positive effect on diabetes knowledge and on self-management behavior, ultimately improving glycemic control. Future programs should take into account the key characteristics identified in this review.enDiabetes type 2Self-managementEducational interventionsSystematic literature reviewMeta-analysisMeta-regressionDiabetes Mellitus Tipo 2Grupos ÉtnicosHumanosGrupos MinoritariosEducación del Paciente como AsuntoPronósticoAnálisis de RegresiónAutocuidadoMedical Subject Headings::Diseases::Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases::Metabolic Diseases::Glucose Metabolism Disorders::Diabetes Mellitus::Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2Medical Subject Headings::Named Groups::Persons::Population Groups::Ethnic GroupsMedical Subject Headings::Organisms::Eukaryota::Animals::Chordata::Vertebrates::Mammals::Primates::Haplorhini::Catarrhini::Hominidae::HumansMedical Subject Headings::Disciplines and Occupations::Social Sciences::Sociology::Minority GroupsMedical Subject Headings::Disciplines and Occupations::Education::Education, Nonprofessional::Health Education::Patient Education as TopicMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Diagnosis::PrognosisMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Investigative Techniques::Epidemiologic Methods::Statistics as Topic::Regression AnalysisMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Therapeutics::Self Careresearch article25037577open access10.1186/1472-6823-14-60PMC4107728