Pharmacist Toolkit Tier 1: Prediabetes Awareness and Prevention

Key points

  • Pharmacists can promote awareness of prediabetes and the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) to help prevent type 2 diabetes.
  • By taking advantage of foot traffic and waiting periods within the pharmacy, you have a unique opportunity to educate patients about prediabetes and the National DPP lifestyle change program.
National Diabetes Prevention Program

What pharmacists can do

You can increase your patients' awareness of prediabetes. This often reversible condition affects millions of Americans, most of whom do not know they have it. Help your patients understand how they can prevent prediabetes from developing into type 2 diabetes.

You can also increase your patients' knowledge of the National DPP. This yearlong program was developed to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in adults who have prediabetes, or who are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Learn about supporting evidence for the National DPP.

Promotional materials

CDC and its partners have developed many resources to promote awareness of prediabetes and the National DPP. These resources and promotional materials can be used within your pharmacy or patient care setting.

Print materials

Print materials can be used in the pharmacy setting in the following ways:

  • Display on bulletin boards or walls.
  • Give to patients who are picking up medications.
  • Display brochures and handouts in waiting rooms, or other areas with heavy foot traffic.
  • Use flyers as "bag stuffers" when distributing medications.

CDC materials

CDC has developed materials specifically designed for pharmacists and pharmacies to help them spread awareness of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and to refer or enroll patients in the lifestyle change program (in-person or virtual). These materials are available on CDC's Summary of National DPP Pharmacy Resources web page, including:

American Medical Association materials

Health care teams can use materials developed by the American Medical Association (AMA) to direct patients to in-person or virtual Lifestyle Change Programs, which help to prevent type 2 diabetes. Materials are available on the AMA Diabetes Prevention Toolkit website.

Digital materials

You can use digital platforms—such as TVs, computers, or tablets—in your pharmacy to display video content.

Social media

Any of the promotional materials provided in this guide can be shared on social media to promote the National DPP. Consider posting these materials on special dates, such as Diabetes Alert Day® (4th Tuesday in March) or World Diabetes Day (November 14), or during Diabetes Awareness Month (November).

Follow CDC Diabetes on Twitter (@CDCDiabetes) and Facebook (CDC Diabetes) for diabetes-related updates and information. Consider retweeting or sharing these posts with your followers.

Promotional campaigns

Do I Have Prediabetes?

This national prediabetes awareness campaign was developed by CDC, AMA, and the Ad Council. Audience members are directed to an interactive website where they can learn about prediabetes and type 2 diabetes prevention. The campaign includes public service announcements (PSAs) in the form of posters that pharmacies can print and display, or videos that can be embedded in digital newsletters, emails, and other online communications.

Pharmacies can also place PSAs in local media, but the Ad Council requires that all costs for media placement be donated. For more information about the campaign and its materials, visit the Type 2 Diabetes Prevention section of the Ad Council's Digital PSA Library.

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Content Source:
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Diabetes