Image of the state of Louisiana The Louisiana Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP) began receiving funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on October 1, 1996. The overall goal of the Louisiana DPCP is to reduce the burden of diabetes in Louisiana using the following methods: Monitoring the prevalence and incidence of diabetes, and available care and education opportunities; informing the population on how to use existing resources as efficiently and effectively as possible; strengthening weak points in the diabetes care system. Through these methods, the DPCP hopes to reduce morbidity and mortality related to diabetes in the state. It is hoped that future efforts will focus on primary prevention of type 2 diabetes through obesity prevention for high-risk groups.

Activities supported by the Louisiana DPCP include the following:

Coordinate diabetes efforts with other prevention activities. Because of the overlap in intervention strategies and risk factors for diabetes, cardiovascular health, and tobacco use, the Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Control Section of the Office of Public Health, which administers the Louisiana DPCP, will integrate reducing the burden of diabetes with existing programs. This includes collaborating to develop and implement standards and quality assurance for preventive services in clinical settings and community-based interventions that target risk and preventive health care-seeking behaviors. It also includes community-based and statewide marketing of health messages aimed at the 10 leading causes of death.

Create a comprehensive surveillance and evaluation system. Using existing vital statistics, surveillance data, client encounter-based systems, and data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to create a comprehensive surveillance and evaluation system. A diabetes module has been in the surveillance system since 1997. A partnership has been established with the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Collaborations have also been developed or strengthened with the Louisiana Diabetes Association, Medicaid, and the Louisiana Healthcare Review, as well as with managed care organizations, insurers, and employers.

National Health Disparities Collaborative. The goal is to reduce the burden of diabetes in disparate populations by increasing the capacity to provide diabetes patient education and improve the data management system that tracks the healthcare of the homeless patients on the diabetes registry.

A statewide Diabetes Advisory Council. The Diabetes Advisory Council is a group that advises the DPCP in Louisiana on emerging diabetes issues affecting care, treatment, and quality of life for people with diabetes or at risk for diabetes. The guidance of and recommendations made by the Council improves policy and legislation efforts, as well as influences the strategic planning of the DPCP.

Diabetes Public Awareness and Education Media Campaign. The campaign focuses on prevention and treatment, and targets African-Americans and the general public. Components of the campaign include radio and television public service announcements and public relations.

Provider Education. Using "Defeat Diabetes Through Education" project, a collaboration between the DPCP and the Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center (SWLAHEC) is addressing provider education. The SWLAHEC provides diabetes education and training to students in medical, nursing, and other health profession schools. The goal is for the students to learn how to provide appropriate and adequate diabetes education and other diabetes services to rural populations.

Contact information

Diabetes Control and Prevention Program Coordinator
Chronic Disease Control
Office of Public Health
325 Loyola Avenue, Room 212
New Orleans, Louisiana 70112
Telephone (504) 568-7016
Fax (504) 568-7005

Additional Information

Louisiana Diabetes Program*

* Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at this link.

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This page last reviewed February 23, 2007.

United States Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Diabetes Translation