Advancing Diabetes Self Management: Department of Family and Community Health

The goal of Advancing Diabetes Self Management at the Department of Family and Community Health was to improve self management among people with type 2 diabetes. This program targeted patients at rural health centers in West Virginia.

Clinic staff and lay leaders led a six-week course designed to teach people how to deal with the symptoms and frustrations of living with diabetes and other chronic conditions. This course focused on improving skills and sessions were very interactive.

Self management health communication materials were developed to provide patients with information that helped them develop action plans for behavior change. These materials focused on three messages: Balance Your Plate, Choose to Move and Kick the Habit. In addition, medical group visits (MGVs) took place in a group-setting. These visits led to: improved follow up, more time for self management education and problem solving, more time for patients and their care team to interact, opportunity for patients to learn from and support each other, greater patient and provider satisfaction, and fewer urgent care visits.

The goal of Advancing Diabetes Self Management at the Department of Family and Community Health was to improve self management among people with type 2 diabetes.

Anecdotal data suggests that patients who participated in the Advancing Diabetes Self Management program at Marshall University's Department of Family and Community Health were better able to control their diabetes. In 2004 54% of patients had lost or maintained their weight, an increase from 44% in 2003.