Table 1 Illustrative quotes about limited resources for DSM education and support

Illustrative Quotes

The sad thing is, I’ve seen pamphlets and I’ve seen diets they give them [Arab American patients] at the hospital. The food on there doesn’t make sense, they would never eat it in a million years. You will never find a Hajji [an elderly woman] eating a turkey sandwich. [Group 1: Provider1]

How many dieticians do our diabetic patients go to that speak Arab fluently?…we don’t have enough resources in the community to effectively educate our patients. [Group 1: Provider 3]

They don’t wanna take the medication, they wanna go and get… this herb or these concoctions from the Middle East. And they bring it trying to bring their sugar down, and they give it to each other and they tell each other about it.…, maybe I can take out one of the drugs and its like, no you cannot. [Group 1: Provider 2]

No the education classes for diabetes or any disease…it will help any people around but you know what…there is classes for American Diabetes Association … but most of them, are away from [the city]… I can’t go because they are far away. [Group 3: Patient 1]

We are not educated about the disease we have…There should be a special committee for Arab American people that have diabetes…to give us lessons, and educate us about the disease. [Group 3: Patient 5]