Using Peer Support to Aid in Prevention and Treatment in Prediabetes

An A1C test measures the percentage of red blood cells that have glucose-coated hemoglobin. This percentage indicates average blood sugar levels over the last 2-3 months. Higher percentages indicate higher levels of blood sugar levels, and an A1c between 5.7% and 6.4% is considered in the prediabetes range. The negative numbers for change over time indicate an improvement because they show a drop in percentages from the baseline percentages.

body weight in kilograms

one item with yes/no response. Results indicate percentage of participants who responded "yes."

one item that asks participant to report number of sessions attended

This combined measure is based on participant-reported frequency and duration of moderate to vigorous physical activity, measured in minutes per week. Frequency and duration were initially registered separately.

Two questions were used to calculated minutes of physical activity per week, asked in both the baseline and 12 months surveys:

Q1. On average, how many days per week do you engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity? A1: 0-7, integer response only Q2: On average on those days, how many minutes do you engage in physical activity as this level? A2: open numeric response

A1*A2 = minutes per week (Physical Activity value)

Minutes of physical activity per week reported in 12 month survey - minutes of physical activity per week in baseline survey = change in minutes per week of physical activity

Recorded frequency of consumption in the last 30 days. Participants could report times per day, times per week, or times over past 30 days. These reports were converted to the number of times over past 30 days participants drank regular soda or pop that contained sugar.

PAM-13 is a 13-item scale that measures participant beliefs, perceived knowledge, and confidence for engaging in behaviors related to the participant's health condition. PAM-13 has a 0-100 scale, where a low score indicates low activation (disengaged and overwhelmed) and a high score indicates high activation (patient considers self their own advocate). The difference between the score at 12 months and the score at baseline was calculated.

Williams Perceived Competence Scale comprises 4 items measuring the participants' perception of their own ability to take steps to prevent diabetes. Responses for each individual question range from 1 (not at all true) to 7 (very true). The responses to all 4 items were averaged (range: 1-7), with higher scores on the scale indicating higher perceived competence in preventing diabetes.

The Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire (TSRQ) consisted of 11 items that measured the participants' perceptions of how true various reasons to take steps to help prevent diabetes may be to the participants.

The TSRQ was split into two measures: autonomous and controlled. The autonomous measure consisted of 4 items that measured participants' autonomous (or internal) perceptions of how true various reasons to take steps to help prevent diabetes may be to the participants.

Responses for each individual question range from 1 (not at all true) to 7 (very true). The responses to all 4-items are averaged (range: 1-7). Higher scores indicate participants agree with more internal reasons for preventing diabetes (ex: wanting to take responsibility for my own health).

The Health-Specific Social Support Scale consisted of 12 items that asked participants to indicate their level of agreement on a 6-point Likert scale ("Strongly disagree" [1] to "Strongly agree" [6]) with statements regarding accessibility of any contact they had with people in the past 3 months who were specifically also at risk for developing diabetes and could provide social support in attempts to prevent diabetes via healthy lifestyle changes. Scores for negative statements were reversed, and the total score was the sum of all scores. Total scores can range from 12 (minimum) to 72 (maximum). A higher score indicated a better outcome because it indicated a higher level of reported social support.

The goal setting and intervention tailoring subscale of the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) consisted of 5 questions that ask the participant to state how often their peer supporter engaged in supportive behaviors regarding setting and achieving goals in order to make healthy lifestyle changes. Each question had a range of 1 (None of the time) to 5 (Always). Averaged scores range from 1 (minimum) to 5 (maximum). A higher score indicated a better outcome because it indicated that the peer perceived their partner to be more supportive.

The goal setting and intervention tailoring subscale of the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) consisted of 5 questions that ask the participant to state how often their peer supporter engaged in supportive behaviors regarding setting and achieving goals in order to make healthy lifestyle changes. Each question had a range of 1 (None of the time) to 5 (Always). Averaged scores range from 1 (minimum) to 5 (maximum). A higher score indicated a better outcome because it indicated that the peer perceived their partner to be more supportive.

The Health Care Climate Questionnaire (HCCQ, long form) consisted of 15 items that asked the participant to rank their agreement with statements that indicated degree of autonomy support (Strongly Disagree [1] to Strongly Agree [7]). Averaged scores ranged from 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum). A higher the score indicated a better outcome because it indicated that the peer perceived their partner to be more autonomy supportive.

The Health Care Climate Questionnaire (HCCQ, long form) consisted of 15 items that asked the participants to rank their agreement with statements that indicated degree of autonomy support (Strongly Disagree [1] to Strongly Agree [7]). Total scores ranged from 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum). A higher score indicated a better outcome because it indicated that the peer perceived their partner to be more autonomy supportive.

Recorded frequency of consumption in the last 30 days. Participants could report times per day, times per week, or times over past 30 days. These reports were converted to the number of times over past 30 days participants drank sugary drinks besides pop or soda.

Recorded frequency of consumption in the last 30 days - participants could report times per day, times per week, or times over past 30 days, which was converted to times over past 30 days

One measure that recorded frequency of consumption in the last 30 days - participants could report times per day, times per week, or times over past 30 days, which was converted to times over past 30 days

One measure that recorded frequency of consumption in the last 30 days - participants could report times per day, times per week, or times over past 30 days, which was converted to times over past 30 days

One measure that recorded frequency of consumption in the last 30 days - participants could report times per day, times per week, or times over past 30 days, which was converted to times over past 30 days

One measure that recorded frequency of consumption in the last 30 days - participants could report times per day, times per week, or times over past 30 days, which was converted to times over past 30 days

One measure that recorded frequency of consumption in the last 30 days - participants could report times per day, times per week, or times over past 30 days, which was converted to times over past 30 days

The Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire (TSRQ) consists of 11 items that measure participants' perceptions of how true various reasons to take steps to help prevent diabetes may be to the participants.

The TSRQ is split into two measures: autonomous and controlled. The controlled measure consists of 7 items that measure participants' controlled (or external) perceptions of how true various reasons to take steps to help prevent diabetes may be to the participants.

Responses for each individual question range from 1 (not at all true) to 7 (very true). The responses to all 7-items are averaged (range: 1-7). Higher scores indicate participants agree with more external behaviors or reasons for preventing diabetes (ex: feeling pressure to do so from others).