Funded through the US Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Hawai‘i Diabetes Detection and Prevention Project reached thousands of Hawai‘i residents through education and screening programs. Project staff worked closely with researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston and Extension colleagues at the Washington State University, West Virginia University, New Mexico State University, and Pennsylvania State University, to develop and implement a diabetes awareness education program for underserved populations. The project increased awareness of diabetes in our communities on the islands of Hawai‘i, Kauai, Molokai, Maui and Oahu. The project taught participants, many of whom with limited access to health care and diabetes education, the key indicators of risk factors of complications from diabetes and how to prevent, delay, and manage type 2 diabetes.

Participants of the screening and educational workshops, "On the Road to Living Well with Diabetes," learned about diabetes, recommended medical indicators of diabetes health, and healthful, self-care behaviors. Participants gained knowledge and took action to see their health care providers and to address individual areas of concern.

Capping off 12 years as a federally funded project, the Hawai‘i project conducted 20 community diabetes screenings in 2011-12 (screening 1,099 adults) to identify those with or at risk for diabetes, and presented 13 workshops on living well with diabetes. The 3rd Diabetes Summit was held in Hilo for health care professionals and for people with diabetes. The two-day summit featured glucose and blood pressure screening, healthy lunches, and workshops on managing diabetes, healthy eating, and physical activity. Locally on Hawai‘i Island, community collaborators included Hamakua Health Center, Bay Clinic, UHH College of Pharmacy, KTA Super Stores, and many other community agencies and programs. The successful programs conducted with the Hamakua Health Center in Honokaa and the Kohala Family Health Center were featured in oral and poster presentations at the Diabetes Workshop and Symposium in Charleston, WV, and at the American Diabetes Association Disparities Partnership Forum in Washington, DC.

For more information about this project and for a current listing of diabetes classes through the Extension Service, contact Julia Zee, Extension Educator, at zee@hawaii.edu or at the UH Cooperative Extension Service, 875 Komohana St., Hilo, HI, 96720, Phone (808) 969-8212.

Links to diabetes information:

Hawai‘i State Department of Health, Chronic Disease Prevention & Management
Provides information about diabetes and diabetes in Hawai‘i.

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

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

DOH Hawaii Health and Vital Statistics: Diabetes Conditions
See statistics on diabetes reports by island.

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.

Asian American Diabetes Initiative
The Joslin Diabetes Center established the AADI to enhance the quality of life and health outcomes for Asian Americans living with diabetes through research, education, outreach and culturally appropriate treatments

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

Weight-control Information Network
WIN is an information service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

WVU-ES Dining with Diabetes
West Virginia University's Extension Service offers a diabetes curriculum "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.

National Diabetes Education Program
NDEP is a partnership of the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and over 200 public and private organizations, providing information and resources on diabetes.

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