Rockville, MD (USA), May 2012 - A new Spanish-language videonovela entitled "Aprende a vivir" (Learn to Live) helps diabetes patients compare their treatment options to find a regimen that works best for them. It tells the story of Don Felipe, who has type-2 diabetes, in episodes of five to seven minutes each.
The three-part videonovela series is being distributed via the Internet by the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as part of a wide range of activities to celebrate National Minority Health Month.
The videonovela series shows how Don Felipe, with the support of his family, comes to understand that he needs to speak with his healthcare team about his treatment options rather than skip his medication because of side effects. Research shows that people with type-2 diabetes often have problems adhering to medication schedules. Causes may include low health literacy, poor patient-provider communication, cultural barriers, and other factors.
Data from HHS' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that in 2007-2009, after adjusting for population and age differences, nearly twelve percent of Hispanics ® or older had been diagnosed with diabetes. AHRQ data show that in 2008, Hispanics were more than twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to be admitted to a hospital for uncontrolled diabetes without complications, and about twice as likely to be hospitalized for long-term complications from uncontrolled diabetes.
"Closing gaps in healthcare disparities among Hispanics and other Americans is a priority for AHRQ, and Aprende a vivir will contribute to this effort", says AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. "The videonovela series provides a compelling platform for bringing to life some of the important everyday issues central to effective patient care."
The Healthcare 411 website showcases not only the Aprende a vivir series but also links to patient-education resources on comparing treatments for diabetes and selected other health information from AHRQ and across HHS. The materials are available in Spanish and English. Viewers of the Aprende a vivir series will also have the option of selecting captions in Spanish or English.
"Aprende a vivir is an entertaining way to model and reinforce healthy behaviors without lecturing", says Ileana Ponce-Gonzalez, M.D., AHRQ's Spanish-language spokesperson. "The videonovela as an educational tool is beneficial for individual consumers, patients, clinicians, promotores de salud, educators, and advocates to improve the quality of care and patient safety of people living with diabetes."
