The intervention protocol for the proposed study involves a planned community intervention including educational sessions regarding the disease, meal planning tips, and a community garden. Those within the community who are able to “purchase” food from the community garden will essentially be donating to the project. Others will help through community fundraisers. These excess funds will be used to purchase testing strips and host semi-annual health clinics to improve the conditions for the uninsured diabetics within the community. It is the hope and role of the nurse practitioner to extend the reach of this intervention protocol to the uninsured diabetes patients in the community and into the entirety of the community through a process of collective participation. However, the primary emphasis of the study will be evaluated through the improved diabetes management of the uninsured participants.
The research question that will drive the present study is as follows:
P-I-C-O-T: In uninsured diabetics (P), what is the effect of community based programs that provide medical care, proper nutrition, and testing devices (I) on diabetes management (O) compared to individual management (C) within a one-year study (T)?
The experiment design will be a quasi-experimental as there will be no control group. According to Campbell and Stanley (2014), a quasi-experimental design would be the best description of this study as the time series-designs involves multiple data collection points, no control group, and no randomization. The researcher will utilize previous medical records and ongoing physical exams along with glucose monitoring data in order to determine the outcomes of the study. The baseline of the data will be determined through the medical records and glucose monitoring data prior to the onset of the intervention method. The theoretical framework that will guide this researcher through data collection and analysis is that of the RE-AIM framework (Glasgow, Vogt, & Boles, 1999). The conceptual framework will follow the framework developed by Shediac-Rizkallah and Bone (1998) involving sustainability.
- Campbell, D. T., & Stanley, J. C. (2015). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Ravenio Books.
- Glasgow, R. E., Vogt, T. M., & Boles, S. M. (1999). Evaluating the public health impact of health promotion interventions: the RE-AIM framework. American journal of public health, 89(9), 1322-1327.
- Shediac-Rizkallah, M. C., & Bone, L. R. (1998). Planning for the sustainability of community-based health programs: conceptual frameworks and future directions for research, practice and policy. Health education research, 13(1), 87-108.
