Title: Bridging Clinical Expertise and Community Advocacy: Integrating Registered Dietitians and Promotores de Salud in Latinx Diabetes Education

Background: Type 2 diabetes disproportionately affects the Latinx population in the United States, with a prevalence of 11.5% among Latinos, significantly higher than the 7.2% seen in non-Hispanic Whites. Given the growing importance of cultural competency in healthcare delivery, calls have been made for an integrated model employing both registered dietitian nutritionists (RDN) and promotores de salud (health advocates in Latinx communities). However, there is a lack of research focusing on the specific training needs of RDNs and promotores in the context of Latinx diabetes self-management.

Objective: This study aims to explore what both RDNs and promotores know about each other’s roles within the context of type 2 diabetes management among Latinx communities as well as potential barriers and facilitators for effective collaboration.

Methods: This study employs data from an online survey (n=95) made up of RDNs (n=60) and promotores (n=35) to explore perspectives on the feasibility, perceived effectiveness, and practical challenges of integrating promotores into RDN-led diabetes education efforts.

Results: This study will identify key factors affecting the successful integration of RDNs and promotores in delivering diabetes self-management education, along with the perceived efficacy of this model in enhancing diabetes outcomes.

Conclusion: Findings may have the potential to provide insights for a scalable framework for addressing diet-related health disparities and improve diabetes self-management outcomes by integrating promotores into healthcare teams, thus extending the reach of RDNs to underserved Latinx communities.