Partners Reducing Effects of Diabetes: Initiatives through Collaboration and Teamwork (PREDICT)

Principal Investigator David L. Katz, MD, MPH katzdl@pol.net Project Identifier Core Project, 2004–2009

• Yale University: Yale University-Griffin Hospital Prevention Research Center

Project collaborators are developing strategies to prevent and reduce diabetes and diabetes-related complications among residents in New Haven and Bridgeport, Connecticut, where diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the state. This faith-based project is being tailored to low-income, African-American residents (whose risk for diabetes is twice that of white Americans) that may lack access to medical care, low-cost treatments, and information about preventing and managing the disease. Project strategies include training Community Health Advisors (CHA)—residents trained to promote health among friends and neighbors—to share information with their church congregations; supporting community health-related events (such as Family Fun Days); teaching skill building techniques (such as healthy cooking demonstrations); enhancing patient-doctor communication; creating community walking groups; and establishing education and support groups for patients with diabetes.

Currently under way is a diabetes education project involving 13 African-American churches in New Haven, where 36% of the population is African American. More than 20 CHAs attended a 10-week training program to learn about diabetes prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. They also learned how to use culturally appropriate teaching methods and materials, and ways to motivate others to reduce their health risks. The CHAs are now educating fellow congregants about diabetes prevention and control, and encouraging them to take care of their health.

Before participating, about 300 church members in New Haven and in Bridgeport completed surveys and clinical tests. The surveys measured individuals’ health status and health risk behaviors; knowledge of diabetes; dietary patterns; physical activity levels; social support; confidence to improve personal health; and quality of life. The surveys will be re-administrated 9 months later, after which researchers will analyze the data and CHAs will replicate the church-based program in Bridgeport (where 27% of the population is African American). Evaluators will examine CHAs’ teaching content and methods to determine which methods participants’ prefer and if they are effective. If the project is successful, the center will apply the intervention model to other communities and other chronic diseases.