Cost of a group translation of the Diabetes Prevention Program: Healthy Living Partnerships to Prevent Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Although numerous studies have translated the Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle intervention into various settings, no study to date has reported a formal cost analysis.

PURPOSE: To describe costs associated with the Healthy Living Partnerships to Prevent Diabetes (HELP PD) trial.

DESIGN: HELP PD was a 24-month RCT testing the impact of a lifestyle weight-loss intervention administered through a diabetes education program and delivered by community health workers (CHWs) on blood glucose and body weight among prediabetics.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: In all, 301 participants with prediabetes were randomized in Forsyth County NC. Data reported in these analyses were collected in 2007-2011 and analyzed in 2011-2012.

INTERVENTION: The lifestyle weight-loss group had a 7% weight loss goal achieved and maintained by caloric restriction and increased physical activity. The usual care group received two visits with a registered dietitian and monthly newsletters.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Measures are direct medical costs, direct nonmedical costs, and indirect costs over the 2-year study period. Research costs are excluded.

RESULTS: The direct medical cost (in 2010 dollars) to identify one participant was $16.85. Direct medical costs per capita for participants in the usual care group were $142 and $850 for lifestyle weight-loss participants. Per capita direct costs of care outside the study were $7454 for the usual care group and $5177 for the lifestyle weight-loss group. Per capita direct nonmedical costs were $12,881 for the usual care group and $13,836 for the lifestyle weight-loss group. The lifestyle weight-loss group in HELP PD cost $850 in direct medical costs for 2 years, compared to $2631 in direct medical costs for the first 2 years of DPP.

CONCLUSIONS: A community-based translation of the DPP can be delivered effectively and with reduced costs.