Stories for Change (S4C) Diabetes

Racial and ethnic minorities in the United States—including immigrants and refugees—experience disproportionately high rates of type 2 diabetes and worse outcomes than the general population. Stories for Change Diabetes is a multi-phase project that uses a culturally grounded digital storytelling intervention to improve diabetes self-management among Hispanic and Somali adults. The project began with a culturally and linguistically tailored survey to understand diabetes-related knowledge, attitudes, and health-seeking behaviors. Findings informed focus groups exploring lived experiences with diabetes, which shaped the development of a storytelling guide. In partnership with the Center for Digital Storytelling, eight participants created digital stories highlighting culturally relevant strategies for medication adherence, glucose monitoring, physical activity, and nutrition. A multi-site pilot study in Minnesota and Arizona demonstrated feasibility in clinical settings, strong participant engagement, improved psychosocial factors linked to self-management, and promising signals of improved glycemic control.

Among Hispanic adults, a multi-site study conducted with Mountain Park Health Center and Hennepin Healthcare has enrolled 455 participants and completed data collection, with analysis underway. A parallel trial is also underway among Somali adults in Rochester, Minnesota. We are now disseminating this intervention to expand access to culturally responsive, community-informed tools designed to improve diabetes outcomes and advance health equity.

Publications

Stories for Change: Development of a Diabetes Digital Storytelling Intervention for Refugees and Immigrants to Minnesota Using Qualitative Methods

Stories for Change Protocol: A Randomized Controlled Trail of a Digital Storytelling Workshop Intervention for Hispanic/Latino with Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes Knowledge, attitudes and Behaviors Among Somali and Latino Immigrants

Pilot Feasibility Study of a Digital Storytelling Intervention for Immigrant and Refugee Adults with Diabetes

Facilitated Stories for Change: Digital Storytelling as a Tool for Engagement in Facilitated Discussion for Reduction of Diabetes-Related Health Disparities Among Rural Latino Patients with Diabetes

Experiences of Hispanic Safety Net Clinic Patients with Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Funding

Mayo Clinic:  Values Council, Office of Health Disparities Research, and Center for Clinical and Translational Science
George Family Foundation: Catalyst Award

National Institutes of Health: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01 DK 113999)

Materials

Stories for Change - Spanish

Stories for Change - Somali