Improving the Health of Americans through Prevention and Management of Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke.
Project Overview
The UTHealth School of Public Health - Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research in collaboration with the UTHealth School of Biomedical Informatics - Gulf Coast Regional Extension Center will assist the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in carrying out the proposed activities for the project.
The primary aim is to improve the healthcare system's ability to identify patients at risk for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Specifically, this includes identifying and developing an intervention for patient populations who have either pre-diabetes or uncontrolled hypertension, treatment, and management of patients with diabetes, heart disease, and associated risk factors.
SCAN
Diabetes is one of the most preventable, yet prevalent chronic diseases in the United States, affecting 30.3 million people or 9.4% of the population. Another 84 million are diagnosed with prediabetes. Nearly 20% of all healthcare spending in the U.S. is focused on diabetes. Diabetes can often be prevented by developing a healthy lifestyle including diet and exercise, yet those changes can be difficult to maintain. The National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is an evidence-based, individually administered program capable of reducing diabetes incidence rates through intensive, individualized nutrition and exercise management. Also, it has been shown to be effective when culturally tailored to a specific population. However, DPP retention rates remain low leading to poorer long-term outcomes. There is a clear need to develop incentives for participants to stay in the DPP programs in order to maximize its effectiveness.
For this purpose, we designed a study to determine the impact of an enhanced, food incentive program called SCAN (Sustainable Culturally Adapted Nutrition) that integrates DPP and a food prescription framework whose aim is to improve participant adherence. This study is significant because it: 1) addresses diabetes prevention in a medically underserved urban population, 2) targets a diverse minority population which has a high prevalence of diabetes in the population, 3) applies established theories of behavior change to inform and incorporate a food incentive program model into the DPP, 4) applies techniques of motivational interviewing to counseling participants, and 5) demonstrates the ability of a food incentive program to improve adherence rates to the Diabetes Prevention program (DPP). If successful, this study has the potential to guide the incorporation of SCAN into DPP programs nationally.
Project Details
Maria E. Fernandez, PhD - Principal Investigator, whole project
William Perkison, MD, MPH, FACOEM - Co-Principal Investigator, WHO project, LCP, SCAN
Susan Fenton, PhD, RHIA, FAHIMA - Co-investigator, subprojects: Bi-Directional Referrals for Prediabetes/Hypertension/Cholesterol
Deevakar Rogith, MBBS, PhD - Co-investigator, subproject: Telehealth
Melissa Valerio, PhD - Co-investigator, subproject: Target:BP
Serena A. Rodriguez, PhD, MA, MPH - Co-investigator, subproject: SMBP
Bijal A. Balasubramanian MBBS, PhD - Co-investigator, subproject: SMBP
Natalia Heredia, PhD, MPH - Co-investigator, subprojects: non-physician team members, Target:BP, cholesterol screening at university health centers, SCAN
Belinda Reininger, DrPH - Co-investigator, non-physician team members, cholesterol screening at university health centers
Project Staff
Project personnel are listed below. Click on a name to view the individual profile.
CHPPR Partners with Texas Health Centers to Implement a Healthy Heart Ambassador Program
The Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research partners with Texas health centers like South Texas Rural Health Services, Inc. to promote the use of the Healthy Heart Ambassador and Self-Measured Blood Pressure programs to help identify, treat and manage high blood pressure and reduce risk factors for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.
CHPPR Partners with Columbus Community Hospital to Provide a National Diabetes Prevention Program to Rural Community
CHPPR has partnered with the Columbus Community Hospital and Wellness Center, an acute care medical and surgical facility in Columbus, Texas, to establish a National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP). Columbus Community Hospital adds the NDPP lifestyle change program to an array of services they offer to their rural community through their Wellness Center.
Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coaches Help Reduce Prediabetes Rates
Lifestyle Change Programs are a key component of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, which CHPPR is helping Texas clinics to implement. These programs rely on Lifestyle Coaches to help participants make and maintain the lifestyle changes that can help prevent type 2 diabetes.
Avenue 360 and CHPPR Partner to Improve Health in Underserved Communities
Avenue 360 Health and Wellness, a CHPPR partner, provides a full range of healthcare to medically underserved communities across the Houston area
CHPPR and First Mile Care Partner to Reduce Prediabetes Rates
First Mile Care is a company dedicated to chronic disease care and prevention that works with physicians and communities throughout the U.S. to reduce prediabetes rates. The Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research (CHPPR) partners with First Mile Care to pilot a diabetes prevention program, the Sustainable Culturally Adapted Nutrition (SCAN) program, in Houston, TX.
Ellis County Coalition for Health Options and CHPPR Collaborate to Improve Care for Patients with Hypertension
UTHealth Houston partner Ellis County Coalition for Health Options provides comprehensive, affordable healthcare services to underserved communities in Ellis County, Texas. The faith-based, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) is collaborating with The Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research (CHPPR) to promote cardiovascular health among patients by providing the Healthy Heart Ambassador program (HHA).
CHPPR Partners with Chambers Health to Implement Healthy Heart Ambassador Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program
Chambers Health is an HRSA-funded Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that provides primary care, mental health, dental, and other services in Anahuac, Dayton, and Mont Belvieu, Texas.
San José Clinic Partners with CHPPR to Prevent Diabetes in Underserved Communities
San José Clinic provides a wide variety of primary and specialty healthcare services to uninsured and underserved communities in Houston. The Clinic has partnered with CHPPR to provide Diabetes Prevention Program referrals and with the UTHealth Houston Cizik School of Nursing to offer opportunities to Doctor of Nursing Practice students.