Bin Xie

Background: Compared to non-Hispanic White adults, racial/ethnic minority adults have a higher risk of developing diabetes and its complications. Proper use of healthcare services is important for reducing the prevalence of diabetes and the risk of complications. However, minority populations tend to receive a lower quality of healthcare service and have greater barriers to diabetes self-management. This study aims to determine racial/ethnic disparities in the utilization of diabetes-related healthcare services and estimate factors that are associated with the utilization. Methods: This study used the 2016–2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data. Accomplishment of diabetes-related healthcare services (annual clinical care, self-care) among patients with diabetes and diabetes screening rates among adults at risk of developing diabetes were assessed. Chi-square tests explored associations between race/ethnicity and healthcare service use. Weighted logistic regression models estimated factors independently associated with utilization, controlling for covariates. Results: Patients with diabetes who reported fully completing annual clinical care exams were less than 50% for all racial and ethnic groups. Asian American patients reported the lowest percentage of fully completing self-care practices (1.2%). Compared to non-Hispanic White patients, Hispanic and Latino patients had the lowest odds of fully completing all annual exams (OR = 0.10, 95% CI, 0.07, 0.14) and self-care practices (OR = 0.63, 95% CI, 0.43, 0.92). Except for non-Hispanic Black adults, asymptomatic adults at risk from other racial and ethnic minority groups had significantly lower odds of having screening, and Asian American adults had the lowest odds of screening uptake (OR = 0.55, 95% CI, 0.52, 0.59) compared to non-Hispanic White adults. Healthcare insurance coverage, access to healthcare, self-rated general health status, and alcohol consumption were significantly associated with diabetes-related healthcare utilization status. Conclusions: Racial and ethnic disparities exist in diabetes-related healthcare service utilization. These findings underscore an urgent need to improve diabetes-related healthcare service use for racial and ethnic minority groups.

Background: Although progress has been made in improving the efficacy of Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) programs, there remains a dearth of research on culturally adapted, evidence-based DSMEs for Chinese Americans (CAs) with type 2 diabetes. Objective: Through collaborative partnerships with 2 large community recreation centers and the AHMC Hospital Network in San Gabriel Valley, California, we developed and pilot-tested a culturally tailored DSME program with integrated mobile health (mHealth) technology, entitled Culturally Appropriate Strategies for Chinese Americans with Diabetes (CASCADe). Methods: The CASCADe program utilized a combined, theoretically driven, and community-participatory approach and was developed based on information gleaned from focus groups, semistructured interviews, and a questionnaire survey conducted among CA patients with diabetes, physicians, and nurses, as well as from extensive literature reviews of evidence-based program curricula. A single-group pre- and posttest design with a 3-month study period was then employed to assess the program’s preliminary efficacy. The study protocols were registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. Results: The CASCADe program consisted of (1) a home visit in the first month for training in monitoring device use and WeChat app (a mobile instant-messaging platform widely used in the Chinese population) usage, as well as for acquiring family support; (2) 8 weekly sessions over the following 2 months, delivered in a combined format of group classes, games, group exercises, videos, and discussions; and (3) WeChat follow-up involving education tips, monitoring data summaries, and group discussions after each of the 8 weekly sessions. Topics covered in the weekly sessions included recognition of diabetes and its complications, risk factors, nutrition knowledge, dietary practices, exercise, behavioral self-monitoring, medication adherence, and stress management. The monitoring system used a smartphone to coordinate cloud-based data transmission from a set of wireless devices to capture daily monitoring data on physical activity, body weight, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels. Behavioral self-monitoring was further facilitated by the WeChat app, which provided daily messages related to the diabetes education curriculum; weekly summary reports of monitoring data; feedback; bidirectional 1-on-1 communication between intervention providers and participants; and group discussions among participants regarding readings and the implications of monitoring results. The pre- and postcomparison from the 3-month pilot trial showed a significant reduction in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c; 7.48 vs 7.09, P=.03), with all but 1 participant demonstrating a reduction and 7 out of 12 (58%) achieving a >0.5 decrease in HbA1c. Significant improvements were also observed in self-efficacy in diabetes management (6.59 vs 8.01, P=.003), quality of life (3.21 vs 3.69, P=.005), and stress-coping skills (3.18 vs 3.74, P=.01) at 3 months after baseline among CA patients with type 2 diabetes. Conclusions: Our pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of implementing the CASCADe program among CAs to improve diabetes self-management skills and yielded promising results, warranting further evaluation in a larger randomized trial. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04737499; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04737499

BACKGROUND Although progress has been made in improving the efficacy of Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) programs, there remains a dearth of research on culturally adapted, evidence-based DSMEs for Chinese Americans (CAs) with type 2 diabetes. OBJECTIVE Through collaborative partnerships with 2 large community recreation centers and the AHMC Hospital Network in San Gabriel Valley, California, we developed and pilot-tested a culturally tailored DSME program with integrated mobile health (mHealth) technology, entitled Culturally Appropriate Strategies for Chinese Americans with Diabetes (CASCADe). METHODS The CASCADe program utilized a combined, theoretically driven, and community-participatory approach and was developed based on information gleaned from focus groups, semistructured interviews, and a questionnaire survey conducted among CA patients with diabetes, physicians, and nurses, as well as from extensive literature reviews of evidence-based program curricula. A single-group pre- and posttest design with a 3-month study period was then employed to assess the program’s preliminary efficacy. The study protocols were registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. RESULTS The CASCADe program consisted of (1) a home visit in the first month for training in monitoring device use and WeChat app (a mobile instant-messaging platform widely used in the Chinese population) usage, as well as for acquiring family support; (2) 8 weekly sessions over the following 2 months, delivered in a combined format of group classes, games, group exercises, videos, and discussions; and (3) WeChat follow-up involving education tips, monitoring data summaries, and group discussions after each of the 8 weekly sessions. Topics covered in the weekly sessions included recognition of diabetes and its complications, risk factors, nutrition knowledge, dietary practices, exercise, behavioral self-monitoring, medication adherence, and stress management. The monitoring system used a smartphone to coordinate cloud-based data transmission from a set of wireless devices to capture daily monitoring data on physical activity, body weight, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels. Behavioral self-monitoring was further facilitated by the WeChat app, which provided daily messages related to the diabetes education curriculum; weekly summary reports of monitoring data; feedback; bidirectional 1-on-1 communication between intervention providers and participants; and group discussions among participants regarding readings and the implications of monitoring results. The pre- and postcomparison from the 3-month pilot trial showed a significant reduction in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c; 7.48 vs 7.09, P=.03), with all but 1 participant demonstrating a reduction and 7 out of 12 (58%) achieving a >0.5 decrease in HbA1c. Significant improvements were also observed in self-efficacy in diabetes management (6.59 vs 8.01, P=.003), quality of life (3.21 vs 3.69, P=.005), and stress-coping skills (3.18 vs 3.74, P=.01) at 3 months after baseline among CA patients with type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS Our pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of implementing the CASCADe program among CAs to improve diabetes self-management skills and yielded promising results, warranting further evaluation in a larger randomized trial. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04737499; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04737499

Objectives: This study investigated the correlation between early exposure to maternal depression (from 1 month to Grade 3) and the body mass index (BMI) and potential for overweight in adolescents at age 15. It further examined if the pathway of this correlation was influenced by psychosocial adjustment during mid-childhood (Grade 3 to Grade 6), specifically through internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Methods: Our study utilized data from 844 participants in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) to assess the effects of maternal depression, observed from when the children were one month old to Grade 3, on BMI and the likelihood of overweight or obesity in adolescents aged 15. We also explored whether the average scores of internalizing and externalizing behaviors between Grades 3 and 6 mediated the impact of early maternal depressive symptoms on subsequent health outcomes. The analysis was adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors. Results: Findings revealed that internalizing and externalizing behavioral issues significantly mediated the relationship between prolonged maternal depression exposure and subsequent BMI, as well as the risk of overweight or obesity, in adolescents at age 15. Notably, this mediating effect was predominantly evident in girls. Conclusions: Our research demonstrated that the correlation between prolonged exposure to maternal depressive symptoms in childhood and increased BMI and overweight risk in adolescence was significantly mediated through psychosocial adjustment behaviors. We advocate for further exploration of additional mediating factors in future studies.

Mounting evidence links obesity, metabolic dysfunction, mood, and cognition. Compromised metabolic health and psychological functioning worsen clinical outcomes, diminish quality of life, and contribute to comorbid conditions. As a medication with both insulin-sensitizing and anti-inflammatory effects, metformin affords the exciting opportunity to abrogate the bidirectional relationship between poor metabolic health and psychological function. In the current paper, we review the literature linking metformin to mood and cognitive function, examine potential underlying mechanisms, and suggest new directions for investigating the role of metformin in increasing adherence to health behavior recommendations.

: This study examines: (a) the prevalence rate of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Chinese Americans (CAs); (b) the influence of acculturative status (i.e. generational status and linguistic flue...

Obesity is a cardiovascular disease risk factor and affects approximately 13.7 million U.S. children and adolescents between the ages 2 and 19 years old in 2015–2016. To determine the relationship between children’s average long-term exposure to maternal depressive symptoms age 1 month to Grade 6 and adolescents’ body mass index (BMI) z-score at age 15 mediated by the adolescents’ depressive symptom experience. A total of 1,364 infants and their families from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were recruited. Mediation analyses revealed a significant relationship between children’s average long-term exposure to maternal depressive symptoms from age 1 month to Grade 6 and adolescents’ BMI z-score at age 15 (total effect = 0.015, p = .013, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.0032, 0.027). The adolescents’ experience of depressive symptoms significantly mediated this relationship (indirect effect = 0.0021, bias-corrected bootstrapped 95% CI: 0.0004, 0.0044), with this mediated relationship more pronounced in girls. Findings indicate the possible existence of a mediating role of adolescents’ depressive symptoms experience in the pathway from average long-term exposure to maternal depressive symptoms during children’s early life to adolescents’ elevated BMI.

Objectives: In this study, we assessed whether commercials for electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) influence the use of e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and cigars among high-risk youth in southern California. Methods: We recruited students (N = 1060) from 29 alternative high schools into a prospective cohort study. We used multilevel Poisson regression models to examine whether exposure to e-cigarette commercials and perceptions of their appeal predicted increased use of e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and cigars one year later. We also tested the potential moderating effect of gender and ethnicity. Results: Models with and without covariates suggest that exposure to e-cigarette commercials is a statistically significant predictor of increased use of e-cigarettes. When gender was added to the models as a moderator, the relationships between commercial exposure and future use of e-cigarettes and cigars were found to be stronger among females. Unadjusted and adjusted models also indicated that students with favorable perceptions of e-cigarette commercials reported greater use of e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and cigars one year later. Conclusions: E-cigarette commercials may play an important role in persuading high-risk youth to use nicotine and tobacco products. Extending the Broadcast Advertising Ban of 1971 to include a broader range of products may be critical to preventing future generations from becoming addicted to nicotine.