Job Opportunity Investment Network Education on Diabetes in Urban Populations (JOINED-UP) Project

Diabetes and obesity are inter-related health issues that impact many aspects of daily living, including workplace productivity and efficiency. Obese individuals are less likely to be employed and more often absent from work. Nearly one billion dollars per year is attributed to lost productivity for reasons relating to diabetes including early retirement, increased sick days, disability and premature mortality. The Job Opportunity Investment Network Education on Diabetes in Urban Populations (JOINED-UP) is a diabetes and obesity healthy lifestyle education program that is embedded in a Green Jobs training program targeting low skilled, low resourced residents in Philadelphia. Participants in the program are required to attend six Healthy Lifestyle workshops that use a “patient” case study (whose attributes are created by program participants) as a means to encourage sharing of real life experiences related to incorporating healthier behaviors onto daily life. Participants meet individually with the health educator to review screening/survey results, discuss personal health concerns, and create a personal action plan. Motivational interviewing techniques guide this discussion. A Certified Diabetes Educator meets with individuals whose screening results indicate pre-diabetes and provides information about diabetes, and suggestions for risk reduction. The CDE counsels diagnosed diabetics about managing diabetes and preventing complications. A post-program screening is conducted. To date– 56% of the participants were obese, 11% overweight, 11% diabetic, 63% pre-diabetic/diabetic, 19% hypertensive, and 26% pre-hypertensive. Process measure and outcome measures on 50 participants will be presented.