Health Communication Material April 26,2013
Type II Diabetes Prevention and Self-Management Skills Program (TDPSMSP) Communication Material
TDPSMSP has been developed to target African American adults aged 20 years and older who have type II diabetes. This program will partner with Wishard health services community health care centers in 10 different communities. The program is meant to utilize peer support to teach and coach diabetic people within their communities to self- manage their diabetes. In addition, the program is also going to campaign for type II diabetes prevention by educating undiagnosed members of the community. African Americans are at a higher risk to develop type diabetes more than their white counterparts, with African American having a risk twice higher than the whites (Agency for Health Care and Quality, 2001). Statistics also show that by the year 2009, 12.6% African Americans 20 years and older had type II diabetes, while 7.1 % of the whites of the same age had type II diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2009). Based on these statistics, African Americans remain at a higher risk than the whites.
Diabetes comes with its comorbidities which ought to be carefully managed to reduce complications and increased mortality (Calvin, 2012). The complications which arise from diabetes also make it an expensive disease to manage, rendering type II diabetes an economic burden, especially to low socioeconomic minorities like African Americans (Engelgau, et al, 2004). However, type II diabetes can be prevented or delayed among the high risk and low socioeconomic African Americans through cost-effective life style changes (Roumen, Blaak & Corpeleijn, 2009).
To implement TDPSMSP, a health communication material has been created. The material is two different types of T-shirts for the two different groups. The two types of T-shirts have two different messages on them. There is a T-shirt for the preventive campaign group and the other one for self-management group. The preventive campaign T-shirt has a nice picture of all kinds of fruits and vegetables in front with a written message that says “change your life style, prevent type II diabetes, and live a healthy life”. This message is very simple and clear, whereby the picture is a visual tool which tells others in the community how to change their life style in order to be healthy and subsequently prevent type II diabetes. The words are speaking for the picture and telling the community what is going on. The back of it has African American people running and jogging for exercise purpose, with a message saying “together we can yes we can”. This is where the social support theory applies. They are exercising together as a team and giving each other support. The social cognitive theory also applies here because others in the community can see these program participants wearing these t-shirts with the message. The program participants are also role models when they show the community the solidarity of exercising together as a way of changing their lifestyle to live a diabetes free life.
The second t-shirt is for the self-management group. It has a picture in front regarding all the kinds of things one can do to self-manage their diabetes to control their blood glucose. In addition, it has a message written clearly “lower the hazards of health, manage your diabetes.” The message is very clear both in words and in the picture. The back of the t-shirt has a picture of hands of black people joining together to unite in this endeavor, with words “united we are in this.” Again the social support theory is depicted through the unity to support each other in self-managing their diabetes.
The t-shirts will be won by the participants every week while attending the classes. The community will see the participants in these t-shirts as they travel to the classroom site and learn the message. The goal is to let the rest of the community be aware that this program in progress and to make them aware of the existence of type II diabetes and that some community members have started to act. The t-shirts also act as a reminder to those struggling in managing their sugar levels that they need to start self-managing it, to lower the health hazards. Also those who are at risk and not clinically diagnosed with type II diabetes yet, are made aware that there is something they could do, to prevent or delay the occurrence of type II diabetes. The t-shirts are TDPSMSP’s messenger to the rest of the community. They will send preventive and self-management messages to 10 communities where the Wishard community health centers are located.
References cited
Agency for Health Care and Quality, (2001). Diabetes disparities among racial and ethnic Minorities. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/research/diabdisp.htm#HighDiabetes
American Diabetes Association, (2009). Diabetes statistics. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diabetes-statistics/
Calvin, D.J. (2012). African Americans’ perception of risk for diabetes complications. Neighborhoods Initiative. Retrieved from http://www.uic.edu/cuppa/gci/whatwedo/researchclusters/hcc/materials/Sharing%20What%20We%20Learn/2012/Donna%20Calvin%20Oct_Nov%20Featured%20Researcher.pdf
Engelgau, M. et al, 2004). The evolving diabetes burden in the United States. EBSCO. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy2.ulib.iupui.edu/ehost/detail?vid=6&sid=963ddc38-8da7-46f7-b95b-cae149c0b514%40sessionmgr113&hid=118&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=13258281
Roumen, C. Blaak, E.E. & Corpeleinj E. (2009). Lifestyle intervention for prevention of diabetes. EBSCO. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy2.ulib.iupui.edu/ehost/detail?vid=8&sid=a93d013e-2050-4409-93f7-708909620fd5%40sessionmgr110&hid=123&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=f5h&AN=36622703
Diabetes comes with its comorbidities which ought to be carefully managed to reduce complications and increased mortality (Calvin, 2012). The complications which arise from diabetes also make it an expensive disease to manage, rendering type II diabetes an economic burden, especially to low socioeconomic minorities like African Americans (Engelgau, et al, 2004). However, type II diabetes can be prevented or delayed among the high risk and low socioeconomic African Americans through cost-effective life style changes (Roumen, Blaak & Corpeleijn, 2009).
To implement TDPSMSP, a health communication material has been created. The material is two different types of T-shirts for the two different groups. The two types of T-shirts have two different messages on them. There is a T-shirt for the preventive campaign group and the other one for self-management group. The preventive campaign T-shirt has a nice picture of all kinds of fruits and vegetables in front with a written message that says “change your life style, prevent type II diabetes, and live a healthy life”. This message is very simple and clear, whereby the picture is a visual tool which tells others in the community how to change their life style in order to be healthy and subsequently prevent type II diabetes. The words are speaking for the picture and telling the community what is going on. The back of it has African American people running and jogging for exercise purpose, with a message saying “together we can yes we can”. This is where the social support theory applies. They are exercising together as a team and giving each other support. The social cognitive theory also applies here because others in the community can see these program participants wearing these t-shirts with the message. The program participants are also role models when they show the community the solidarity of exercising together as a way of changing their lifestyle to live a diabetes free life.
The second t-shirt is for the self-management group. It has a picture in front regarding all the kinds of things one can do to self-manage their diabetes to control their blood glucose. In addition, it has a message written clearly “lower the hazards of health, manage your diabetes.” The message is very clear both in words and in the picture. The back of the t-shirt has a picture of hands of black people joining together to unite in this endeavor, with words “united we are in this.” Again the social support theory is depicted through the unity to support each other in self-managing their diabetes.
The t-shirts will be won by the participants every week while attending the classes. The community will see the participants in these t-shirts as they travel to the classroom site and learn the message. The goal is to let the rest of the community be aware that this program in progress and to make them aware of the existence of type II diabetes and that some community members have started to act. The t-shirts also act as a reminder to those struggling in managing their sugar levels that they need to start self-managing it, to lower the health hazards. Also those who are at risk and not clinically diagnosed with type II diabetes yet, are made aware that there is something they could do, to prevent or delay the occurrence of type II diabetes. The t-shirts are TDPSMSP’s messenger to the rest of the community. They will send preventive and self-management messages to 10 communities where the Wishard community health centers are located.
References cited
Agency for Health Care and Quality, (2001). Diabetes disparities among racial and ethnic Minorities. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/research/diabdisp.htm#HighDiabetes
American Diabetes Association, (2009). Diabetes statistics. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diabetes-statistics/
Calvin, D.J. (2012). African Americans’ perception of risk for diabetes complications. Neighborhoods Initiative. Retrieved from http://www.uic.edu/cuppa/gci/whatwedo/researchclusters/hcc/materials/Sharing%20What%20We%20Learn/2012/Donna%20Calvin%20Oct_Nov%20Featured%20Researcher.pdf
Engelgau, M. et al, 2004). The evolving diabetes burden in the United States. EBSCO. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy2.ulib.iupui.edu/ehost/detail?vid=6&sid=963ddc38-8da7-46f7-b95b-cae149c0b514%40sessionmgr113&hid=118&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=13258281
Roumen, C. Blaak, E.E. & Corpeleinj E. (2009). Lifestyle intervention for prevention of diabetes. EBSCO. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy2.ulib.iupui.edu/ehost/detail?vid=8&sid=a93d013e-2050-4409-93f7-708909620fd5%40sessionmgr110&hid=123&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=f5h&AN=36622703