Carla Fallas, DNP'19; Katherine Pereira, professor; and assistant professors Iris Padilla and Irene Felsman published an article entitled "Improving Self-Care Management in Low-Income Latinos With Type 2 Diabetes Using Peer-Led U.S. Conversation Maps: A Quality Improvement Project in a Free Clinic" in Clinical Diabetes.

Abstract

A culturally sensitive Healthy Interactions Conversations Maps program was implemented for teaching diabetes self-management education (DSME) to Latinos with type 2 diabetes using peer-led educators in a community health center. Patients were invited to participate in a group care setting to improve access to providers and DSME. Goals were to improve diabetes distress, self-efficacy, and glycemic control as measured by A1C. Significant improvements were found for mean diabetes self-efficacy scores from before (2.53 ± 0.59) to after (2.91 ± 0.50) DSME (P <0.001). Mean A1C decreased significantly from before (9.51 ± 1.72%) to after (8.79 ± 1.68%) DSME (P = 0.043) at the end of the 6-month intervention. Thus, this program was found to be a useful tool for providing DSME in community health clinics serving low-income Latinos.

Soo Ting Joyce Lim, DNP'19; and Pereira published an article entitled "Flash Continuous Home Glucose Monitoring to Improve Adherence to Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose and Self-Efficacy in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes" in Clinical Diabetes.

Peggy Bush, associate professor; and Pereira are guest editors for this month's Journal for Nurse Practitioners Pharmacology Update issue. Bush and Pereira also co-authored a guest editorial "Old Drugs, New Concerns" in the Journal for Nurse Practitioners.

In addition, Pereira co-authored the book "Epidemiology of Thyroid Disorders" with Elsevier, Cambridge. Epidemiology of Thyroid Disorders provides comprehensive, clinical knowledge to professionals dealing with thyroid disorders. The book focuses on the pathophysiology of thyroid disorders, the prevalence and incidence of various diseases, and their prevention. This focused analysis on thyroid disorders raises awareness of this global problem that, once diagnosed or misdiagnosed, can sometimes lead to over-treatment and cardiovascular complications, especially in the elderly. This succinct, targeted reference gives the reader excellent information on the epidemiology of global thyroid disorders, as well as up-to-date treatment data and a special focus on prevention.