THURS-088 - Engineered for Inclusion: Delivering More Engaging Diabetes Education

Brief Abstract Summary: Break the mold in diabetes education: Get step-by-step guidance on incorporating more engaging and inclusive type 2 diabetes prevention and diabetes self-management resources into your existing efforts. Highlights include a health literacy tool that can be used by health educators before, during, or after sessions; an interactive bilingual fotonovela that aims to raise awareness about the higher risk of type 2 diabetes in Hispanic/Latino communities; animated videos and tip sheets that provide strategies for helping people with diabetes build healthy habits; and culturally tailored facilitated discussion tools on the social and emotional aspects of diabetes. Learn how these resources were designed to enhance reach to priority populations who have systematically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their racial or ethnic group, socioeconomic status, mental health, disability, or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion.

Detailed abstract description: Adult learners tend to be self-directed and self-motivated—they are looking for information, products, and services that they think will make their lives easier or better. In today’s world, adults are also facing more limits on time, money, and other resources. When it comes to managing their health, these challenges are further complicated by information overload, transportation challenges, provider shortages, and other barriers to accessing needed care. For health educators playing critical frontline roles in supporting chronic disease management, applying adult learning theory in practice may be essential to delivering more meaningful and action-oriented messaging.
With 6 in 10 Americans having at least one chronic disease and 4 in 10 having two or more chronic diseases (source: CDC), getting tailored information on how to both prevent these conditions and avoid related complications may be critical. Chronic disease prevalence has also been shown to be greater in areas that are the least socially advantaged (source: Preventing Chronic Disease). While health education resources can’t always help mitigate barriers to access, they can promote the delivery of more inclusive content that reflects the lived experiences of the people and communities using them.
CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT) is a leader in efforts to help people prevent and manage diabetes. DDT uses an evidence-based, audience-centric model for developing resources to support people at risk for and living with diabetes. From holding interviews and focus groups to sharing concepts and conducting usability testing, DDT takes steps early and often to include the voices of key populations. These audiences include people with diabetes, diabetes care and education specialists, community health workers, health educators, National Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coaches, state and local health departments, and primary care providers.
This presentation highlights new resources for enriching education and counseling for type 2 diabetes prevention and diabetes management. Resources include a bilingual digital animated fotonovela (a small booklet portraying a dramatic story using photos and captions) on the importance of type 2 diabetes prevention; a series of videos for promoting diabetes self-care behaviors; a discussion guide for addressing the social and emotional sides of living with diabetes; and a health literacy tool with a visual library and plain language glossary of diabetes-related terms to foster inclusion across audiences. The presentation will also feature tips for health education specialists in supporting programs and services such as the National Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle change program and accredited or recognized programs offering diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) services.