By Anna Smith
At the end of 2023, Metro Caring made significant strides in health inclusivity by facilitating the first Arabic diabetes management class in the state of Colorado.
The program was taught by Sara Hamid, a registered dietician and graduate of Metro State University in Nutrition, Science, and Technology. Sara, a member of the Arabic community in Denver herself, has been involved with Metro Caring since 2013.
Arabic is one of the most spoken languages by people who come into Metro Caring for fresh food access, and there was an obvious need for diabetes management programming that would support them.
“My community was and is thirsty for information,” Sara says. “We don’t have many health resources in our language.”
Expanding access to health education
Food-insecure households experience higher rates of diabetes, a life-threatening disease that affects more than 37 million Americans. Communities of color often feel this impact at greater rates. For example, Latine households are twice as likely to experience food insecurity than white households.
Metro Caring’s Diabetes Self-Management Support Program is a five- to six-week course designed to provide tools for people with diabetes and their loved ones to eat well, monitor blood glucose, be active, and manage stress. Participants learn and share with others experiencing diabetes. The class was first launched in English before expanding to Spanish and now Arabic to meet the community’s needs.
The Arabic classes were held at Relax Adult Day Care, located in an area of Aurora that is accessible to many Arabic people.
“The staff at Relax were very excited when we reached out to host the class,” Sara said. “They knew there was a need.”
Sean Cosby, Metro Caring’s Diabetes Program Coordinator, was responsible for the logistics of transporting supplies from Metro Caring to Relax. This included cooking supplies for the class and occasional take-home food bags for the 24 class participants that included culturally relevant and healthy foods, such as oil, dates, and beans. Relax Adult Day Care also provided a meal every session.
Additionally, each week participants were provided with a keepsake related to what they learned about that day: a specific measuring tool to measure portion size, a box to organize medications, and laminated recipes.
Culture at the core
Meaningfully reaching the Arabic community started with an outreach strategy. Sara used her professional social media accounts to reach her large following of Arabic people in the region, and reached out to her relevant personal connections individually. Metro Caring also promoted the program at our Fresh Foods Market.
To recognize and celebrate the unique aspects of Arabic culture, adjustments were made to the food offerings. Instead of the typical 15-carb snacks, each class featured a spread of culturally relevant and healthy options.
A highlight was the introduction of a diabetes-friendly Moroccan pancake in the first class, a fusion of sweet and savory that instantly resonated with participants.
Sara’s understanding of Arabic customs and traditions, coupled with her dietetics and leadership training, created a welcoming environment.
Class participants enjoyed Arabic coffee during class where they also received free glucometers to measure their blood glucose.
Training community leaders
At Metro Caring, we have seen first-hand how community-led programs offer more relevant and meaningful takeaways to participants.
“At Metro Caring, it’s important that we do our work with community,” Sean said. “Having the Diabetes Self-Management Programs led by peer facilitators allows us to stay true to this value.”
To better support community leaders, we provide training using a model called Project Dulce. This culturally sensitive, peer-led diabetes education program focuses on underserved populations. Established by Scripps Diabetes Institute in 1997, the curriculum features an overview of diabetes, its complications, and topics on diet, exercise, medication, and blood glucose monitoring, while being sensitive to cultural beliefs that may affect diabetes self-management.
Sara and her two co-leaders, also health professionals in the Arabic community, took part in training through Project Dulce, and played a significant role in shaping class dynamics. The classes were interactive, engaging the participants through demonstrating recipes, asking for input, showcasing food models, and walking around to answer questions. This approach ensured that the participants were actively involved and comfortable sharing their thoughts.
Sara says she already has ideas to improve the class for next time to better hold people’s attention and keep them coming back.
24 people graduated from the first Diabetes Among Friends in Arabic class, held at Relax Adult Day Care in Aurora, CO.
The universal language of a smile
Sean’s most memorable moment of the program was graduation day.
“We took pictures on the last day, on graduation,” he said. “All the participants were excited to grab their certificates to be in the picture. The universal language of a smile told me that they really appreciated the value that Sara and Metro Caring brought to them.”
Participants, coming from diverse backgrounds, were united over shared experiences of diabetes, food, and life. Some found such meaning in the course that they opted to be involved in research with the Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute about how diabetes uniquely affects Arabic people. Most participants had type 2 diabetes and were measuring success by tracking their A1C (average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months).
Through the dedicated efforts of Sean, Sara, and the entire Metro Caring team, this program has not only addressed a critical health need but has also fostered a sense of community among participants. The positive feedback we’ve received makes us sure that although this was our first course offered in Arabic, it definitely won’t be our last.
