Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #101077

Anne Leake, PhD, APRN-Rx, Adult Primary Care, Kalihi-Palama Health Center, 915 N. King Street, Honolulu, HI 96817, 808.848.1438, ARLeake@aol.com

Background: In the state of Hawai‘i, Filipinos have a significantly higher age-adjusted diabetes prevalence rate (7.5%) compared with the white population (3.4%). This group is composed of many new immigrants who face language, culture, and socio-economics barriers to receiving accurate health information. NIH's National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities through the University of Hawai‘i, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Department of Native Hawaiian Health - Hawai‘i EXPORT Center encourages increasing the dissemination of evidence-based information.

Purpose: Increase long-term Filipino participation in diabetes screening, education and management in the service area of the Kalihi-Palama Community Health Center.

Methods: Key steps: 1. Conduct key informant interviews with Filipino leaders including: Philippine Nurses Association (PNA), Philippine Medical Association (PMA), and elected officials, 2. Develop a diabetes community coalition of Filipino groups, 3. Develop outreach activities specific to the Filipino community and the predominant Ilocano language, 4. Pilot test Ilocano diabetes education program materials, 5. Conduct Filipino targeted diabetes education screening and education workshops, 6. Track diabetes clinical benchmarks to measure effectiveness of educational workshops.

Results: Coalition development resulted in successfully establishing relationship and trust between divergent groups. For example, the PNA has become a research partner in a collaborative community-based research initiative with potential NIH funding. This is a new step for an Asian-Pacific Islander nursing organization.

Conclusions: Although short-term outreach strategies are effective in immediately increasing participation of a targeted population, sustained participation involves continual effort to establish a community infrastructure to support health initiatives.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• Identify key steps to develop a community coalition in a Filipino immigrant community, and
• List successful recruitment strategies for diabetes education and management classes.

Keywords: Immigrants, Diabetes

Related Web page: www.healthhawaii.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.