Innovative Approaches in Diabetes Education and Patient Self-Management

Diabetes is a major disease affecting millions of Americans, especially among ethnic minorities and low socioeconomic status. Most people with pre-diabetes or early stages of diabetes are asymptomatic and go undetected. Several co-morbidities exist among people with diabetes including obesity, hypertension and elevated cholesterol levels. Early detection and prevention is key in health promotion initiatives to prevent several chronic illnesses including cardiovascular diseases. This presentation deals with a diabetes education and treatment initiative (LaDEI) implemented in rural health settings in Louisiana. This initiative included increased emphasis on patient education, enhanced communication skills by health care professionals, increased follow-up and implementing registry for tracking the progress of patients. Over 180 patients with diabetes were followed up in this initiative in a rural parish in Louisiana. Patients were screened for hemoglobin A1c levels, cholesterol (LDL) levels, blood-pressure and foot examination. Upon initial screenings, patients were educated on self-management skills and emphasized the importance of regular follow-up. Most patients did not have health insurance and were provided free health care at the clinics. Results indicated statistically significant improvements in controlled diabetes levels of the patients as evidenced by the A1c levels. The indicators for lipid profiles as well as controlled hypertension levels also increased significantly. This initiative indicates a success story in innovative health education/promotion approaches that is multi-faceted. Intervention approaches as well as results of this initiative will be shared in this presentation. Ways to implement similar interventions in rural settings in other parts of the nation will be discussed as well. Audience will be able to participate in an interactive discussion as well as understand some basic principles of health education approaches as it related to rural health and addressing health disparities.