Objective There are pronounced racial and socioeconomic disparities in type 2 diabetes. Although “stress” as a general phenomenon is hypothesized to contribute to these disparities, few studies have objective measures of stress reactivity in diverse samples to test hypotheses about purported mechanisms. This study describes the rationale and baseline characteristics of a cohort designed to address the question: how does stress contribute to disparities in diabetes risk? Methods The Richmond Stress and Sugar Study recruited 125 adults at elevated risk of type 2 diabetes using a two-by-two sampling frame wherein non-Hispanic whites and African Americans (AAs) were each recruited from neighborhoods of higher and lower socioeconomic status (SES). Stress reactivity was assessed using the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and salivary cortisol. Analyses of variance and multilevel modeling were used to examine how stress reactivity varied both within and across race and neighborhood SES. Results The mean (SD) age was 57.4 (7.3) years, 49% were female, 54% were AA or another racial/ethnic minority, and mean hemoglobin A1c level was in the prediabetes range (5.8%; range, 5.50%–5.93%). Living in a lower-SES neighborhood was associated with 16% (95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.04 to 34) higher pre-TSST cortisol, 8.4% (95% CI = −14 to −3) shallower increase in response to the TSST, and 1% (95% CI = 0.3 to 1.7) steeper decline post-TSST than living in the higher neighborhood SES. Post-TSST cortisol decline was 3% greater among AA compared with non-Hispanic whites. Race-by-SES interaction terms were generally small and nonsignificant. Conclusions SES is associated with stress reactivity among adults at high risk of diabetes.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to describe how a community-academic partnership developed and implemented a shared goal of evaluating the impact of a large community-based diabetes self-management program on diabetes care and mental health outcomes. Methods Data came from the YMCA of Greater Richmond Diabetes Control Program (DCP), a 12-week, group-format self-management program led by lay health coaches. Adults with type 2 diabetes (N = 312) completed baseline assessments of sociodemographic characteristics, diabetes history, and mental health. Four outcomes were assessed pre- and post-DCP on 141 participants who completed the program: hemoglobin A1C (A1C), weight, depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-8), and glucose monitoring. The team worked with a Community Advisory Board throughout the research process. Results The DCP had wide geographic reach, including lower-income neighborhoods. The average age of the participants was 53.9 years, 71.4% were female, and 69% were African American. During the DCP, A1C declined from 8.4% to 7.6% (P < .001), but weight was unchanged (229.2 vs 227.9, P < .282). During the DCP, the proportion of participants with clinically significant depressive symptoms declined from 32.4% to 15.5% (P < .001), and frequency of glucose monitoring significantly increased. Conclusions The YMCA of Greater Richmond DCP has wide reach into underserved populations throughout the metropolitan area. This program is effective at improving diabetes self-management and mental health. Findings have implications for supporting academic-community partnerships to address diabetes disparities.