Touch toe test: Community based diabetes prevention initiative

Objective: To develop awareness for the Touch Toe Test (TTT) as a practice towards identifying peripheral neuropathy among persons that is at risk in Grenada. Design and Methods: A collaborative team of stakeholders developed a national TTT education campaign. A video clip demonstrating the TTT as well as a Flyer were distributed television, newspaper distribution, in schools, community health centres, churches, facebook, YouTube and recordings and the TTT was demonstrated on television and radio and through the various community based activities. Results: For the period November 14th to November 28th, 2012, the TTT was conducted on more than 1200 persons. 57 (5.6%) was noted as having a loss of sensitization in at least one toe. Among these 57 persons, 23 (40%) were previously diagnosed by a physician with diabetes while the remaining 34 persons were referred to the nurses for glucose testing follow up. All 57 (100%) persons reported a family history of diabetes. Conclusion: The national TTT campaign in observance of World Diabetes Day, 2012 in Grenada was noted to raise the national level of awareness as individuals continuously report to health centres after having conducted the TTT.