Bridging the Gap in Knowledge Deficit in Type-2 Diabetes among Hmong Americans

Abstract

The Hmong from Laos are among the most recent groups to seek refuge in the United States, with Catawba County of North Carolina becoming home to the fourth-largest Hmong resettlement. However, in adopting the western lifestyle, their traditional meals are being frequently replaced by fast food, and this has led to a higher percentage of persons with at-risk body mass index (BMI) and therefore an increased risk for diabetes among the Hmong Americans. Their current at-risk BMI prevalence is higher than Caucasian Americans and other Asian Americans. There is a lack of diabetes education and support programs for this English as a Second Language (ESL) population. To improve their quality of life and provide them with the necessary support and education required to prevent the complications associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), a culturally dynamic Hmong diabetes self-management and support program was designed. The results reveal that after participating in the program, the participants’ diabetic knowledge improved, and they had fewer unhealthy days than before program implementation.