Group medical visits in primary care for patients with diabetes and low socioeconomic status: users' perspectives and lessons for practitioners.

OBJECTIVE: This article describes a qualitative research study that examines the encounters by patients of low socioeconomic status with a group medical visit (GMV) program for individuals with or at risk for diabetes. The goal of this study was to generate insights that could be used to guide the development of an inner-city community health centre's GMV services.

METHOD: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 9 patients who took part in a GMV program that was offered to patients of an inner-city community health centre that serves individuals with low income or homelessness. The interviews addressed barriers to and incentives for attending the GMV program, the GMV program's influence on diabetes-related knowledge and attitudes, and the patients' experience of health and quality of life. Conventional qualitative content analysis was used to organize the interview data according to themes and subthemes.

RESULTS: Participants described how the GMV program was implemented, the qualities of a good facilitator, diabetes management as a change process, the role of group members in supporting the change process, and provided general feedback and suggestions.

CONCLUSIONS: This article concludes with a series of considerations for the implementation of GMVs. These considerations address group cohesion, the therapeutic effects of group problem solving and support, and the implementation of behaviour-change interventions in GMVs.