Introduction: Rates of diabetes throughout Mexico contribute to increases in morbidity, mortality and health costs.

Objective: To describe a Spanish-language sleep disorders/sleep health promotion program for certified diabetes educators in Mexico.

Methods: Health providers voluntarily completed pre-and post-training surveys. Data were derived from ratings for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), Insomnia, restless leg syndrome (RLS), short sleep duration (SSD), circadian rhythm disorders (CRD), and drowsy driving (DD) using 5-point Likert-like scales with higher post scores indicating greater learning, 5 true/false questions regarding misconceptions about sleep, and a question regarding primary source of sleep information. Study approvals were obtained from U.S. and Mexican institutions. Data were analyzed with frequencies and paired t-tests using SPSS (V23) with significance set at p<0.05.

Results: Participant (N=90; 72% women) means with standard deviations showed significant learning for all sleep disorders following training (OSA: 2.7±1.1 to 4.3±0.83; Insomnia: 3.0±0.80 to 4.3±0.78; RLS: 1.8±0.94 to 4.1±0.89; SSD: 2.4±0.89 to 4.3±0.73; CRD: 2.2±1.1 to 4.3±0.77; DD: 2.3±1.0 to 4.3±0.74, all p<0.001). The summed pre- to post-scores (range=0 to 30) moved from 14.1±4.2 to 25.7±4.2, p<0.001. Significant learning occurred regarding misconceptions about sleep pre- 4.2±0.75 to post-testing 4.8±0.42, p<0.001, and the greatest learning was the misconception that daytime sleep can make up for poor nighttime sleep. The leading source of sleep information was the internet (48%).

Conclusions: Health providers trained as certified diabetes educators could become leaders toward fostering healthy sleep in diabetes care across the lifespan that supports health equity by reducing sleep-associated comorbidities and health care costs.