Drawn to Understand: How Culturally Tailored Education Empowers Patients With Type 1 Diabetes

Culturally tailored educational materials are more than just translated pamphlets—they are bridges between knowledge and understanding, especially for individuals navigating a new type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosis in underserved or cross-cultural settings. As a medical education consultant and a family member to diabetics, I’m an avid believer that personalized education can transform self-care from a daunting chore into an empowering journey. When education speaks their language, patients listen and thrive.

Image courtesy of Dina Alsalih

Drawing on my professional experience, I’ve developed and delivered patient education materials to hospitals and community clinics, collaborating closely with dietitians and nursing staff. Simplifying complex information through illustrations has consistently helped patients feel that managing T1D is achievable. Visual clarity can demystify the disease and shift perceptions from fear to confidence. Additionally, health education toolkits designed with low-literacy visuals, color coding, and pictorial icons have been shown to improve comprehension and empower patients from all backgrounds to take control of their self-care.¹

Research further supports this: when treatment regimens and educational materials are simplified, patients report lower anxiety and better adherence, leading to improved glycemic outcomes.²

Culture Shapes Care

Culture profoundly influences health behaviors. Food traditions, family dynamics, and social norms all affect how individuals manage chronic diseases. In one study, a culturally adapted support group program for Chinese Americans, delivered entirely in Cantonese and written at a fourth-grade reading level, included familiar activities like tai chi. The result? Improved glycemic control and diabetes knowledge within 6 months.³ Participants felt respected and understood, which fostered both trust and adherence. Tailoring the curriculum to cultural dietary habits, such as substituting brown rice for white, made the content relevant and actionable.

Likewise, along the US–Mexico border, a bilingual (English/Spanish), 8-module program incorporated cooking demonstrations, peer storytelling, and participatory learning for Mexican American adults living with diabetes. After 4 to 8 weekly sessions, participants showed an average hemoglobin A_1C improvement of 1.1% (from 8.92% to 7.82%) and reported healthier glucose monitoring, exercise, and eating habits.⁴ These results underscore how culturally and linguistically congruent education not only enhances understanding but also drives clinically meaningful change.

Education Is Emotional, Too

Culturally tailored programs go beyond improved metrics: they address emotional and psychosocial barriers to self-care. Many patients fear stigma or lack the vocabulary to talk about diabetes within their families. In collectivist cultures, involving family members in the education process ensures that everyone shares the same understanding and support strategies. Studies show that extended family engagement, consent for shared learning, and respect for social norms are key to sustaining behavior change and preventing patient isolation.⁵ When families learn together, they form a community of accountability and encouragement.

When we honor culture in our educational approaches, we do more than convey facts. We build trust, foster engagement, and empower patients to become active partners in their care. This includes considering dietary habits, health beliefs, literacy levels, and family structures when designing materials. Most importantly, presenting information in the patient’s first language and using storytelling, visuals, and hands-on activities that reflect daily life ignite self-efficacy. This leads not only to better glycemic outcomes but also to patients thriving within their unique cultural contexts.

REFERENCES

1. Xu WH, Rothman RL, Li R, et al. Improved self-management skills in Chinese diabetes patients through a comprehensive health literacy strategy: study protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2014;15:498. doi:10.1186/1745-6215-15-498

2. Stewart KD, Matza LS, Patel H, Boye KS. Development of a patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure to assess patient perceptions of simplicity and complexity of treatment for type 2 diabetes. J Patient Rep Outcomes. 20223;7(1):89. doi:10.1186/s41687-023-00614-7

3. Sun AC, Tsoh JY, Saw A, Chan JL, Cheng JW. Effectiveness of a culturally tailored diabetes self-management program for Chinese Americans. Diabetes Educ. 2012;38(5):685-694. doi:10.1177/0145721712450922

4. Flores-Luevano S, Pacheco M, Shokar GS, Dwivedi AK, Shokar NK. Impact of a culturally tailored diabetes education and empowerment program in a Mexican American population along the US/Mexico border: a pragmatic study. J Clin Med Res. 2020;12(8):517-529. doi:10.14740/jocmr4273

5. American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes – 2021. Clin Diabetes. 2021;39(1):14-43. doi:10.2337/cd21-as01