National Diabetes Initiative Presents Tools for Successful Diabetes Self Management

TUCSON, Ariz., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The Diabetes Initiative, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation(R), is presenting important findings about diabetes self management at its Capstone Meeting this week in Tucson, Arizona.

The Diabetes Initiative, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is a national initiative comprised of two national diabetes self management programs: Advancing Diabetes Self Management and Building Community Supports for Diabetes Care. These two programs support 14 demonstration projects throughout the country that test and introduce quality improvements in the resources and supports for diabetes self management in primary care and community settings, respectively. Together, they aim to demonstrate that diabetes self management programs can be successfully implemented in real-world clinic and community settings.

The 14 demonstration projects have developed tools to help health care providers improve resources and supports for diabetes self management in clinical and community settings. Through this work the sites recognized the importance of the following self management tools:

  -- Ongoing follow up, support and encouragement that helps patients adjust
     self management plans to individual circumstances and manage needs for
     further care.
  -- Community health workers to link people with their health care team and
     provide a friendly face for ongoing follow up and support.
  -- The promotion of healthy coping and assistance with managing emotional
     issues related to having diabetes.
  -- Partnerships between health care providers, clinics, and community
     organizations to create a network of supports and opportunities for
     healthy living with diabetes.
  -- Methods professionals can use to assess their own clinical settings in
     order to identify ways to improve systems and procedures to support
     self management programs.

Despite the prevalence of diabetes in our society, the majority of patients aren't getting the support they need to make necessary healthy lifestyle changes and manage their disease. The real-world models demonstrated through the Diabetes Initiative provide a useful framework for the resources and supports providers can implement to aid patients with successful diabetes self management.

"Diabetes is a complicated condition, which means individuals need help in planning and carrying out diabetes self management," said Edwin Fisher, Ph.D., national program director of the Diabetes Initiative. "The Diabetes Initiative grantees have developed innovative strategies for diabetes self management programs that fit into peoples' lives, teach essential skills, and help people stick with their self management plans. The task now is for the health care system, policy makers and communities to make these programs available for all who need them."

Information shared during this meeting will be used to advance the field of diabetes self management for providers and communities. A capstone meeting summary will be posted on the Diabetes Initiative Web site ( http://www.diabetesinitiative.org/ ).

The Diabetes Initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation includes 14 projects around the United States. The grantees are as follows:

  -- Somerton, Arizona -- Campesinos Sin Fronteras
  -- Middleton, Connecticut -- Community Health Center, Inc.
  -- Huntington, West Virginia. -- Department of Family & Community Health
     at Marshall University School of Medicine
  -- Texas City, Texas -- Galveston County Health District
  -- Laredo, Texas -- Gateway Community Health Center, Inc.
  -- Holyoke, Massachusetts -- Holyoke Health Center, Inc.
  -- Oakland, California -- La Clinica de La Raza
  -- Waterville, Maine -- MaineGeneral Health
  -- Denver, Colorado -- Center for African American Health
  -- Minneapolis, Minnesota -- Minneapolis American Indian Center
  -- Billings, Montana -- Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council
  -- Homestead, Florida -- Open Door Health Center
  -- Olympia, Washington -- St. Peter Family Medicine Residency Program
  -- Sidney, Montana -- Richland Community Health Department

For more information, protocols, publications, and other materials, please visit: http://www.diabetesinitiative.org/ .

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 30 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. Helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need -- the Foundation expects to make a difference in our lifetime. For more information, visit http://www.rwjf.org/ .