Enhancing Preventative Health Behaviors Among Emergency Department Hyperglycemic Patients

Despite the large prevalence of patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with hyperglycemia or disease manifestations related to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), there remains a gap in our understanding of rapid educational strategies delivered within the ED itself. As such, the goal of this project is to utilize the Health Belief Model (HBM) framework to target ED patients' perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers in an effort to enhance proactive health behaviors, such as primary care physician (PCP) follow-up and utilization of medication assistance programs, among ED patients.

We will recruit 400 English speaking adults who present to the ED with a blood glucose of ≥200 mg/dL. All participants will receive educational materials on diabetes, as well as resources to local primary-care follow up and medication assistance programs. Participants will complete pre- and post-surveys to quantify changes in self-perceived susceptibility, severity, barriers to managing T2DM, and behavioral changes, which include presence of PCP follow-up, establishing a new PCP, and utilizing medication assistance programs.

Quantitative pre- and post-survey responses will be analyzed via regression models and paired t-tests to evaluate for statistically significant changes in perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers to T2DM self-management among participants before and after receiving the educational intervention.The expected findings of this research study are increases in patient diabetes knowledge and self-perception of susceptibility and severity, leading to higher rates of PCP follow-up among participants following dissemination of educational materials grounded in the HBM framework. These research outcomes can be utilized to inform future interventions that target further barriers or reduce ED recidivism for hyperglycemic patients in the ED.

Inclusion criteria

• Persons 18 years of age or older who present as patients in the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Emergency Department with or without a preexisting Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus diagnosis with a blood glucose of ≥200 mg/dL. Participants must speak English to participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Age less than 18 years and blood glucose <200 mg/dL.