Diabetes in the American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) population is a public health crisis. AIAN have the highest diabetes prevalence rates when compared to other racial and ethnic populations in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14.7% of AIAN adults compared to 7.5% of non-Hispanic Whites have been diagnosed with diabetes. In California (CA), those who self-identify as having CA Tribal heritage are twice as likely than individuals from tribes outside of CA to be diagnosed with diabetes (31% versus 16%). Significant disparities also exist in diabetes-related outcomes. Compared to the general population, AIANs are 2.3 times more likely to die from diabetes, and the incidence of diabetes-related kidney failure among AIANs is 2.0 times higher. Cardiovascular disease among AIANs with diabetes may be 3-8 times higher than those AIAN without diabetes.~The diabetes crisis among AIAN is best addressed using a holistic approach. Aside from addressing the impact of diabetes on several physical health outcomes, best practices also include addressing the impact of trauma and mental and emotional health, providing robust patient education, and addressing structural barriers such as food insecurity, lack of access to healthy food, living in poverty, limited social support, and lack of access to health care, especially that which is culturally responsive.~Given the disproportionate rates of diabetes and diabetes-related outcomes among AIANs, this is the perfect opportunity to provide a culturally tailored health promotion intervention among the largest urban AIAN population in the U.S.; approximately 171,163 AIANs reside in Los Angeles County.~The goal of this pilot study is to reach up to 312 Native Americans with diabetes to participate in an intervention to lower blood sugar and feelings of social isolation. The intervention will include 12 weeks of diabetes-friendly, medically tailored meals, and four weeks of virtual diabetes wellness classes. The meals are pre-made and frozen by Project Angel Food, a meal preparation and delivery company located in Los Angeles, CA. Fourteen meals (7 days x 2 meals per day: lunch/dinner) will be provided weekly for 12 weeks. Participants will also attend an initial meet-and-greet before the classes start and a final check-in meeting after the classes end. Up to three additional follow-up meetings may be held after the final check-in. There may also be an in-person meeting near the end of the study. Each of the four virtual class sessions will be held for 90-minutes through the Zoom platform. Participants will begin the 4-week curriculum approximately the same week they start receiving the medically tailored meals. After the four weeks of classes are completed, participants will continue to receive meals for the remaining (approximate) 8 weeks. Each participant will be part of a 180-day cohort, during which participants will complete surveys and attend three clinic visits (where their blood pressure, weight, height, and A1c levels--via finger stick--will be measured).
Diabetes in the American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) population is a public health crisis that is best addressed using a holistic approach.~Given the disproportionate rates of diabetes and diabetes-related outcomes among AIANs, this is the perfect opportunity to provide a culturally tailored health promotion intervention among the largest urban AIAN population in the U.S.; approximately 171,163 AIANs reside in Los Angeles County. It is imperative to develop culturally tailored interventions with a community-based participatory research approach. Particularly given a legacy of historical mistrust, development of trusted and mutually beneficial partnerships is imperative.~The goal of this pilot study is to reach up to 312 Native Americans with diabetes to participate in an intervention to lower blood sugar and feelings of social isolation. The intervention will include 12 weeks of diabetes-friendly, medically tailored meals, and four weeks of virtual diabetes wellness classes. Participants will also attend an initial meet-and-greet before the classes start, a check-in meeting after the classes end, and up to three additional follow-up meetings. There may also be an in-person meeting near the end of the study. Partners for these activities include Project Angel Food and United American Indian Involvement (UAII). Each of the four virtual classes will be held for 90-minutes through the Zoom platform. Each participant will be part of a 180-day cohort. Participants will complete surveys and attend three clinic visits as part of the study.