Latino Diabetes Initiative

The Joslin Latino Diabetes Initiative offers culturally appropriate diabetes care and education, research, community outreach and provider education to improve health outcomes for Latinos living with diabetes or those who are at risk for developing the disease. Since its creation in July 2002, the Initiative has been active with a variety of programs, both locally and nationally.

Latino Diabetes Initiative in the News


Dr. Enrique Caballero joins an important discussion about the alarming fact that one in three American kids and one in two Latinos born in the last five years is now expected to develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime. Click here for an archive edition of WBUR's "On Point."

Coming Soon

La Historia de Rosa: Una Radio-Novela para Latinos con Diabetes—Rosa’s Story: An Audio Novella

In an effort to reach as many people as possible of various educational backgrounds, literacy levels, and countries of origin, it was decided that the best method to educate others on diabetes would be orally with an audio-novella on a CD and an accompanying patient handbook.  For centuries in many ethnic and racial groups, storytelling has been used as a way to teach and pass down information from generation to generation.  Rosa's Story presents the story of a Latina woman with diabetes by using  short  vignettes to convey the most important messages in prevention, blood glucose control, nutrition, medication and exercise

  • Latino Clinic  :  Joslin’s Latino Clinic offers bilingual diabetes services from a team of bilingual/bicultural providers: two endocrinologists, a neurologist, ophthalmologist, registered nurse, registered dietician, exercise physiologist and administrative support staff.
  • Research  :  A team of investigators conducts research designed to strengthen our knowledge and understanding of the needs, characteristics and challenges of Latinos living with or at risk for diabetes. Through the Latino Clinic, our investigators strive to increase Latino participation in our existing clinical research studies as well as Latino-focused research.
  • Community Outreach  :  The Office of Community Outreach provides a key link between Joslin and community organizations to expand the reach of the Center's care and education into surrounding Greater Boston and Massachusetts.
  • Provider Education  :  Joslin has extensive experience in serving and understanding Latinos affected by diabetes. The Latino Initiative team offers continuing medical education (CME) to clinicians on a national and international level.
  • Latino Program Staff