Augmented Diabetes Help in Primary Care
In 2003 the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) launched its 4-year Diabetes Initiative to support self-management for diabetes patients. Here is a sampling of 4 of the 14 grantees' primary care- and community-based efforts.
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The Campesinos Diabetes Management Program at Campesinos Sin Fronteras, a nonprofit community-based organization, in Yuma County, Ariz., dispatches community health workers—promotoras—to teach community members about diabetes self-management and coping. The program particularly targets the area's underinsured and uninsured farm workers, many of whom lack money for medications and access to Spanish-speaking providers. Promotoras lead support groups, make home visits, and provide outreach at field work and other sites.
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Community health Center, inc., in Middletown, Conn., offers two programs to help treat depression, which occurs in roughly 60% of its diabetes patients. One, the Stress Reduction Program, offers classes in relaxation and meditation techniques. The other, Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), provides individual sessions in which therapists emphasize strength and problem-solving. SFBT providers also help patients set health goals and develop coping skills.
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holyoke health Center, inc., in Holyoke, Mass., augments regular primary care visits with activities such as a breakfast club focused on nutrition, portion control, and label-reading. Also offered are a chronic-disease self-management class, exercise classes, supermarket tours, a drop-in snack club, and diabetes-education classes. Patients can tap promotoras' expertise and schedule individual appointments with diabetes educators and nutritionists.
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The full Circle Diabetes Program of Minneapolis is a partnership of the Native American Community Clinic, the Minneapolis American Indian Center, and the Diabetes Community Council. The partners provide such diabetes support as healthy breakfasts, case management, community talking circles, and diabetes-education classes.
For comprehensive descriptions of all 14 RWJF grantees' projects, go to http://diabetesinitiative.org.
