The purpose of this federally-funded collaborative effort of the UH Cooperative Extension Service, Washington State University Cooperative Extension, New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension, and the Joslin Diabetes Center is to develop and implement a diabetes awareness education program for underserved populations. This project aims to increase people's awareness of diabetes and key indicators of risk factors of complications from diabetes. In Hawaii, this project is being conducted initially on the Big Island of Hawaii with plans to expand to the neighbor islands.

In collaboration with local agencies and community-based programs, the project is reaching adults with diabetes who have limited access to health care and diabetes education. At a two-hour session, project participants are screened for four of the five recommended medical tests (through fingerstick blood and urine samples) and then participate in an educational session, "On the Road to Living Well with Diabetes," to learn about these tests. An evaluation interview with each participant after three months measures changes in diabetes knowledge and self-care behavior.

This project has also partnered with the Diabetes Network of Hawaii County and the Diabetes Education and Counseling Center in Hilo. Healthy and tasty local-style recipes are demonstrated weekly at the Center to compliment the myriad of classes offered for persons with diabetes and their families.

For more information about this project, contact the project coordinator, Julia Zee, County Extension Educator, at zee@hawaii.edu or at the UH Cooperative Extension Service, 875 Komohana St., Hilo, HI, 96720, Ph. (808) 981-5199.

Links to diabetes programs:

HI State DOH - Hawaii Diabetes Prevention and Control Program
The HI DPCP is a federally funded program involved in diabetes surveillance in Hawaii and education in the disease.

American Diabetes Association
ADA is the nation's leading nonprofit health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy.

CDC's Diabetes and Public Health Resource
More information on diabetes from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

DOH Hawaii Health and Vital Statistics: Diabetes Conditions
The Hawaii Diabetes Report 2004 provides information on the prevalence of diabetes and its effects on the people of Hawaii.

Joslin Diabetes Center Home Page
The Joslin Diabetes Center is an affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Their website offers the latest in diabetes news and research information.

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
NDIC is an information dissemination service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases
Part of the National Institutes of Health, NIDDK conducts and supports research and disseminates research findings and health information to the public.

WVU-ES Nutrition & Health Publications
West Virginia University's Extension Service provides a couple of documents in pdf format on Dining with Diabetes.

 

Hawaiian Food Exchange Booklet
This booklet provides nutrient content and exchanges of local ethnic foods as well as some of the fast foods commonly consumed here in Hawaii.

To view PDF files, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.

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