WEIGHT LOSS IN INNER CITY BLACK WOMEN WITH DIABETES

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The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of utilizing a church based network within the inner-city to deliver a weight loss program to Black women with diabetes. A network of 39 inner-city Black churches has been established by the American Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago. A consortium of Black nurses has been formed to work with the Heart Association to conduct blood pressure screenings in the church network. Hypertension patient education programs are offered to memberships in some churches. Because diabetes is a risk factor in heart disease, members of the consortium have expressed an interest in working with the Chicago Diabetes Research and Training Center to offer PATHWAYS, a weight-loss program for inner-city women with diabetes, to members of their churches. However, no survey has been conducted to ascertain whether a demonstration study of the PATHWAYS program could be conducted within the church-based network. Specifically, the aims of this study are to: 1) Conduct a survey of the membership of 39 inner- city Black churches to identify the potential number of subjects who might be interested in participating in a PATHWAYS demonstration study, and, 2) to develop a methodology for randomizing the churches into experimental and control conditions for a demonstration study. Power analysis suggests that minimum of 240 subjects, nested within a sample of 24 churches, will be required to detect a mean weight loss of six pounds at the end of one year with 80 percent power. Because of the likelihood of study dropouts, an initial sample of 480 Black women will be required. It is the intent of this feasibility study to determine whether such a sample can be acquired.