Diabetes Dateline
NDEP News: National Diabetes Education Program Campaigns in Full Swing
The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP), a program sponsored
jointly by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently
launched six campaigns for people with diabetes. These campaigns, which
build on the "Control Your Diabetes. For Life." campaign launched
in 1998, are designed to raise awareness of the disease and to reduce
the morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes and its complications.
Since minority populations are disproportionately affected by diabetes,
this effort includes a special focus on these groups: African American,
American Indian, Asian and Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American.
Television and radio public service announcements, print ads, live and
recorded radio scripts for local announcers, and other media materials
are being used for each campaign. Working group subcommittees from each
of these four minority groups participated in the development of culturally
and linguistically appropriate campaign messages and strategies. Messages
were tested in culturally diverse focus groups across the country.
The fifth of the six campaigns targets Medicare beneficiaries; it will
promote the new expanded benefits for diabetes equipment and supplies.
The sixth campaign released this year is a television public service
announcement aimed at Caucasians; it demonstrates the serious consequences
of uncontrolled diabetes and discusses steps to take to prevent problems.
"Family Reunion" is the theme of the African American campaign;
it stresses the importance of people taking care of themselves so they
can be around for their families. The American Indian working group chose
to focus on the seriousness of diabetes, also emphasizing the connection
to "Future Generations." The campaign for Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders (AAPI) will target AAPI media outlets and community
groups; messages will be translated into 12 languages. The Hispanic/Latino
working group launched new public service announcements this year, building
on the 1998 theme that diabetes is serious yet controllable.
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Former Miss America 1999, Nicole
Johnson, visited the National Institutes of Health in June. Ms.
Johnson has a deep, personal interest in diabetes and has dedicated
her year of service as Miss America to diabetes awareness. Dr.
Phillip Gorden, director, NIDDK, presented Ms. Johnson with an
award for her efforts in recruiting patients into the Diabetes
Prevention Trial. Members of Ms. Johnson's family are involved
in the trial.
"Even when I am no longer
Miss America, I will do anything I can to help promote diabetes
research," Nicole Johnson said. For more information on the
trial, call 1–800–HALT–DM1.
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A community partnership guide, introduced at the NDEP Partnership
Network meeting in May, will be available later this fall. The guide
gives communities the tools and strategies to promote diabetes activities
and community partnerships.
Many new products have been developed for these campaigns. All
NDEP materials can be viewed on the NDEP web site at ndep.nih.gov
or can be ordered by calling 1–800–438–5383.
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