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Advancing Diabetes Self Management: Holyoke Health Center, Inc.

An Effective Practice

This practice has been Archived and is no longer maintained.

Description

The goal of the Advancing Diabetes Self Management (ADSM) project at the Holyoke Health Center in Massachusetts was to improve health outcomes of Latino patients with type 2 diabetes.

ADSM provided opportunities for people with type 2 diabetes the to participate in activities that helped develop their diabetes self management skills. Patients who had success managing their diabetes were invited to the Snack Club to inspire newly diagnosed patients. In addition, patients joined together to eat a nutritious breakfast and receive emotional and social support, as well as hands-on education, during the Breakfast Club.

A diabetes nurse educator or nutritionist provided individual counseling sessions during which they emphasized different strategies based on each patients' readiness to make behavior changes. Patients who completed Breakfast Club or diabetes education classes participated in a field trip to local supermarkets to apply what they had learned about healthy foods. Finally, community health workers, or promotoras, were used to identify, engage, and motivate patients with type 2 diabetes who had not yet seen their primary care provider. Promotoras followed up with patients by phone or in patients' homes to provide social and emotional support and education.

Goal / Mission

The goal of the Advancing Diabetes Self Management project at the Holyoke Health Center was to improve health outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Results / Accomplishments

Among patients who participated in the program, average HbA1c levels decreased significantly from 8.6% to 8.0%.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Holyoke Health Center, Inc.
Primary Contact
Jon Liebman
230 Maple Street
Holyoke, MA 01040
jon.liebman@hhcinc.org
http://www.diabetesinitiative.org/programs/DIHHC.h...
Topics
Health / Diabetes
Organization(s)
Holyoke Health Center, Inc.
Source
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Date of publication
Jun 2007
Date of implementation
Feb 2003
Geographic Type
Urban
Location
Holyoke, MA
For more details
Target Audience
Adults, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Additional Audience
people with type 2 diabetes
Santa Cruz