Online Program

Panel Discussion

Background/Purpose: Using Community Transformation Grants (CTG), seven Tribes are actively engaged in preventing illness and premature death due to preventable chronic diseases. American Indians/Alaska Native adults are more likely to be obese or to be current cigarette smokers than White adults. Additionally, American Indian/Alaska Native adults are twice as likely as White adults to be diagnosed with heart disease. The purpose of our work is to address the health inequity among American Indians/Alaska Natives and to decrease disease and early death due to chronic diseases. Methods: CTG Tribes are engaged in capacity-building and implementation strategies that enhance tobacco-free living, healthy eating and active living, clinical preventive strategies, social and emotional wellness, and healthy and safe physical environments. Using best and promising practices including those that are culturally relevant and meaningful to individual Tribes, we are: Establishing and strengthening multi-sectoral Leadership Team and Coalition(s), conducting health needs assessments, implementing chronic disease prevention strategies and monitoring for changes in specific health-impact measures. Partnerships with other tribal, state, federal, and non-profit organizations augment our work. Results/Outcomes: CTG Tribes have conducting health assessments to identify & prioritize chronic disease prevention strategies. CTG Tribes are implementing culturally-relevant environmental, systems, and programmatic changes, based on best and promising practices so that the healthy choice is the easy choice in Indian Country. Conclusions: By using a cultural framework to conduct chronic disease prevention, CTG Tribes have successfully increased our capacity and are implementing effective chronic disease prevention strategies. CTG Tribes are well placed to share these successes and lessons learned with other Tribes.

Session Objectives: 1. Name and locate three community assessment tools that can be used to engage community members in assessing their own communities. 2. Describe at least two strategies to successfully engage tribal leadership in chronic disease prevention. 3. Describe benefit of establishing a chronic disease prevention coalition and partnerships to assure broad community engagement and sustainability of efforts.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)