Power Up for Health—Participants’ Perspectives on an Adaptation of the National Diabetes Prevention Program to Engage Men

Abstract

The National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) has been effectively translated to various community and clinical settings; however, regardless of setting, enrollment among men and lower-income populations is low. This study presents participant perspectives on Power Up for Health, a novel NDPP pilot adaption for men residing in low-income communities in New York City. We conducted nine interviews and one focus group with seven participants after the program ended. Interview and focus group participants had positive perceptions of the program and described the all-male aspect of the program and its reliance on male coaches as major strengths. Men felt the all-male adaptation allowed for more open, in-depth conversations on eating habits, weight loss, body image, and masculinity. Participants also reported increased knowledge and changes to their dietary and physical activity habits. Recommendations for improving the program included making the sessions more interactive by, for example, adding exercise or healthy cooking demonstrations. Overall, findings from the pilot suggest this NDPP adaptation was acceptable to men and facilitated behavior change and unique discussions that would likely not have occurred in a mixed-gender NDPP implementation.

Power Up for Health: Pilot Study Outcomes of a Diabetes Prevention Program for Men from Disadvantaged Neighborhoods

“…These preliminary data presented here and in the related publications ( Gary-Webb et al, 2018 ; Realmuto et al, 2018 ) form an important basis for a more rigorous clinical trial of a diabetes prevention program for men from disadvantaged, urban neighborhoods. Many lessons were learned regarding the training and support of coaches, male-oriented program materials and activities, and recruitment strategies.…”

“…Many lessons were learned regarding the training and support of coaches, male-oriented program materials and activities, and recruitment strategies. Coaches, participants, and the Advisory Panel suggested the positive addition of group physical activity at the time of each session; this advice is supported by recent research reports concerning African American men ( Dean et al, 2016 ) and the Power Up for Health qualitative data reported ( Realmuto et al, 2018 ). More research is needed on enhanced recruitment strategies for men from disadvantaged neighborhoods.…”

“…This report focuses on the quantitative findings from the evaluation. Two other related reports with descriptive and qualitative findings ( Gary-Webb et al, 2018 ; Realmuto et al, 2018 ) complete the narrative of the mixed methods findings from the pilot study of the Power Up for Health program.…”

“…The term “disadvantaged” is used here to designate communities characterized by high poverty rates and low resources. This report can be examined more fully in the context of two additional interconnected reports from the pilot study ( Gary-Webb et al, 2018 ; Realmuto et al, 2018 ) describing further pilot study details on intervention adaptation and implementation, as well as lessons learned from qualitative research components. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the New York Academy of Medicine.…”

Translation of the National Diabetes Prevention Program to Engage Men in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods in New York City: A Description of Power Up for Health

“…This manuscript describes the critical relationship the study team developed with the Advisory Panel, experts in men’s health, and male community leaders, who guided us in the process of adapting and implementing the program named by them Power Up for Health . The outcomes of the pilot study, as well as qualitative perspectives of participants, are described in companion papers in this journal ( Realmuto et al, 2018 ; Walker et al, 2018 ).…”