459-P: An Examination of Introductory Sessions Offered by CDC-Recognized National Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Change Programs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) lifestyle change program (LCP) is effective in preventing or delaying type 2 diabetes among people with prediabetes. Increasing enrollment in the National DPP LCP remains a priority. Some LCPs attempt to increase enrollment by offering introductory sessions, pre-enrollment sessions that aim to recruit, engage, and enroll participants based on emerging evidence linking introductory sessions with increased enrollment. As part of a national survey of CDC-recognized organizations offering the National DPP LCP, we examined the content and characteristics of introductory sessions currently offered. Of the 544 organizations who reported offering introductory sessions, the majority provide essential information by overviewing the organization’s LCP (98%) and providing information about type 2 diabetes prevention (79%) during the session. Most provide social support by offering an opportunity to meet the coach (86%) and for program staff and participants to mingle (69%), but only 36% offer light refreshments. Most assess eligibility and readiness to change by offering participants an opportunity to take a risk test to determine eligibility (74%), assess their readiness to join (63%), and to enroll in the program, if interested (71%). Only 34% provide resources for participants not eligible for the program. Session characteristics intended to overcome behavioral barriers to enrollment as identified in prior studies are less common: 39% conduct activities to help participants feel that they can be successful, 38% include testimonials from successful program participants, and 26% assess how soon a participant plans to enroll. There is room for improvement in incorporating behavioral science principles in introductory sessions. Future work will examine associations between specific introductory session characteristics and enrollment. Disclosure P. Williams: None. W. Elkins: None. K. Proia: None. Z. Tayebali: None. K. Axelrod: None. N. S. Esquivel: None. A. Smith: None. D. Porterfield: None.