Local Health Departments in Appalachia: Training, Action Planning and Implementation for Diabetes Prevention and Control

Background

Appalachia is a 200,000-square-mile region along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi. Local health departments (LHDs) in rural, underserved Appalachia are uniquely positioned to lead grassroots movements to create policy, systems, and environmental change to address the burden of diabetes. However, many LHDs lack the funding, resources, and expertise to be effective.

Methods

Diabetes Today is a two-day training course designed to empower communities to build sustainable coalitions and further diabetes prevention and control efforts. In January 2012, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), with support from CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation and the Diabetes Training and Technical Assistance Center, funded eight LHDs from Appalachia and their community partners to complete the training.

Results

During the training, LHDs discussed strategies for coalition building and recruitment, created action plans with short-term, intermediate, and long-term objectives, identified existing resources and additional resources needed, and incorporated sustainability in program planning and implementation.

Following the training, NACCHO has worked with the LHDs to build and strengthen coalitions, seek new funding, engage diverse partners, and advance diabetes prevention and control activities. The Appalachian communities have produced a wide array of tools, initiatives, and new partnerships.

Conclusions

The Diabetes Today training assists LHDs and their community partners in systematically planning an approach to address prediabetes and Type II diabetes. Eight communities in Appalachia have been able to build coalitions and maximize limited resources in rural, underserved areas to further diabetes prevention and control activities.