Progress 09/01/09 to 02/28/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The expected outputs from the Diabetes Detection and Prevention in West Virginia grant is to provide the Dining with Diabetes program, developed by West Virginia University Extension Service, and the On the Road to Living Well with Diabetes program developed by the Joslin Diabetes Center, as a joint program to individuals with diabetes and their family members in West Virginia. This program offers participants information on the nutritional aspect of diabetes, the importance of exercise and the opportunity to increase their level of self-management and self-efficacy skills. The overall goal of this project is to improve the health of persons with diabetes and their families in West Virginia. The primary focus is on individuals with diabetes who do not have access to diabetes education health care, or who are accessing health care, but not in a knowledgeable, optimal manner. Specific objectives and expected outcomes included increasing awareness of diabetes and diabetes self-management, increasing access to diabetes services and identifying and building relationships with community partners. Our activities have included offering the program in 28 counties throughout West Virginia, with 8 counties having 2 or more classes, and 387 individuals completing all five classes. Participants in this program complete pre and post-questionnaires that address demographics, knowledge, and self management topics. Events that were held included offering a two day in-service for all County Extension Agents and their healthcare partners covering new data on diabetes, teaching techniques, updated nutritional information and exercise program ideas. Additionally many county agents participated in local health fairs and presentations. We respond to requests for copies of our curriculum on a regular and offer support and consultation via email and phone contact. This year has also included updating our current curriculum. Dissemination of information is done not only on our program but covers healthy lifestyles, good nutrition and diabetes self-management and is provided on an on-going basis in a number of ways, including newspaper articles, sending out copies of our curriculum to other states and public presentations. Program dissemination also includes sending reports on our data to the County Extension Educators following their class so that they can see where improvements have been made and what areas may need to be strengthened. Reports are sent to our funding sources and to various departments within the WVU Extension Service. We have developed new partnerships with local pharmacies, county health departments, certified diabetes educators, registered dietitians, churches and many health related entities. We have continued our strong relationship with our Bureau for Public Health, Diabetes Prevention and Control Program. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals working on this project include Dr. Cindy Fitch, Principle Investigator, who provides program oversight; Karen Newton, Co-investigator and Program Manager who has overall responsibility for the program and Faith Thompson who is the Program Specialist, providing program support. We also make use of a graduate student for data entry. Our partner organizations are many including the WV Bureau for Public Health, Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, the WV Chapter of the American Diabetes Association, local Certified Diabetes Educators, Registered Dietitians, County Health Departments, local churches, community organizations, drug stores and pharmacies, hospital diabetes education departments, the United Mine Workers of America and local schools. These organizations have provided donations, free use of their facilities, assistance with recruiting participants, serving as volunteers at the classes, providing speakers for the program and participant giveaways. Within the Extension Service this program has many collaborators including the Dietetic Department whose students do an internship with us, the Diabetes Education Department at the University Hospital, and the Obesity Prevention Specialist within the Families and Health Unit. Each year we hold an in-service for all Extension Educators and their healthcare partners who are involved in the On the Road to Living Well with Diabetes/Dining with Diabetes program. This two day in-service provides updates on the program, curriculum changes, speakers on issues of health literacy, the use of sweeteners and other current topics in the field of diabetes. We also provide these individuals with registration waivers to the annual Diabetes Symposium and Workshop. This Symposium is a two and a half day conference with nationally known speakers covering a wide range of topics. A sample of topics from past years include; diabetes and physical activity, diabetes and depression, what's new in medications, disparities in treatment, motivational interviewing, and diabetes-a family matter. Professional credits are given for attend this conference. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for this program includes individuals with diabetes, their family members, and individuals who may have pre-diabetes. The program is open to anyone over 18 years of age. Because of the rural nature of our state many of those who attend fall into to the low income bracket, have little more than a high school education and live in areas where there is no public transportation. We are a state with one of the highest levels of the elderly, as such the majority of our participants are 55 and above with many who are over 64. We also have a very low number of minority citizens, generally less than 4 percent. In an effort to serve all of the state's residents we hold classes in various areas of each county, hold them in locations where individuals feel comfortable. For example, a class may be held in a predominately black church or in a low-income senior highrise. We have announcements about upcoming classes at churches, local grocery stores, at bingo halls; basically anywhere individuals from every part of town, in every economic area of a community to try to draw in people from every walk of life. Classes have a variety of activities that everyone can participate in; lectures, physical activity, hands-on activities and group discussions. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Our local community based educational program, "On the Road to Living Well with Diabetes/Dining with Diabetes" places its focus on the importance of medical tests required for self-management, self-efficacy, physical activity and proper nutrition education. The demographics of our participants show that the majority of the participants, 67.7 percent, are over 60 years of age with 29.7 percent between 40 and 59 years of age. Women comprise 75.8 percent of our participants although some attend in place of their husbands. The number of individuals attending that indicate they have been diagnosed with diabetes is 75.2 percent; most are retired, at 54.4 percent. Yearly income shows over half, 58 percent live on less than 49,999.For 28.5 of these individuals their yearly income is below 25,000.The "On the Road" curriculum includes clinical testing of A1c and blood pressure that is taken at the first class and repeated at the three month follow-up. WVU Extension Service partners with local healthcare partners to present the "On the Road" program within the Dining with Diabetes program. This offers participants a means to understand what tests are necessary, how frequently they should be preformed and how to interpret results. Data has shown that the participants have developed skills in talking with their doctors and improved self-management behaviors. To increase participant's knowledge and access to diabetes services participants are provided with resources for on-going health care. Participants have the opportunity to take the results of their tests to their primary care provider. With increased skills in self-management and self-efficacy participants have gained an increased level of comfort in taking to their provider through knowing their numbers. During this past year 28.2 percent of the participants showed a remarkable decrease in their A1c numbers. This figure is based on a change of at least .5 from the first class to the 3 month follow-up class. We have noted a change in actions among our Extension Educators and our healthcare partners from information that has been shared at the annual In-Service Training and from the annual Diabetes Symposium and Workshop that is sponsored by WVU Extension Service. These events allow our educators and healthcare partners the opportunity to learn new skills that they can apply in educating the participants who attend the "On the Road to Living Well with Diabetes/Dining with Diabetes" program. The Symposium is not funded by this USDA grant but we do offer a tuition waiver for both our Extension Educators and our healthcare partners. Speakers at the Symposium give presentations on topics that include: physical activity and diabetes, nutrition updates, motivational interviewing, diabetes as a family matter, dealing with emotional issues, and empowering communities for public health. The knowledge gained from these opportunities result in increased partnerships and program collaborations.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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