Diabetes Dateline

NDEP News: National Diabetes Education Program Campaigns in Full Swing

The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP), a program sponsored jointly by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently launched six campaigns for people with diabetes. These campaigns, which build on the "Control Your Diabetes. For Life." campaign launched in 1998, are designed to raise awareness of the disease and to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes and its complications.

Since minority populations are disproportionately affected by diabetes, this effort includes a special focus on these groups: African American, American Indian, Asian and Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American. Television and radio public service announcements, print ads, live and recorded radio scripts for local announcers, and other media materials are being used for each campaign. Working group subcommittees from each of these four minority groups participated in the development of culturally and linguistically appropriate campaign messages and strategies. Messages were tested in culturally diverse focus groups across the country.

The fifth of the six campaigns targets Medicare beneficiaries; it will promote the new expanded benefits for diabetes equipment and supplies.

The sixth campaign released this year is a television public service announcement aimed at Caucasians; it demonstrates the serious consequences of uncontrolled diabetes and discusses steps to take to prevent problems.

"Family Reunion" is the theme of the African American campaign; it stresses the importance of people taking care of themselves so they can be around for their families. The American Indian working group chose to focus on the seriousness of diabetes, also emphasizing the connection to "Future Generations." The campaign for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) will target AAPI media outlets and community groups; messages will be translated into 12 languages. The Hispanic/Latino working group launched new public service announcements this year, building on the 1998 theme that diabetes is serious yet controllable.

Former Miss America 1999, Nicole Johnson, visited the National Institutes of Health in June. Ms. Johnson has a deep, personal interest in diabetes and has dedicated her year of service as Miss America to diabetes awareness. Dr. Phillip Gorden, director, NIDDK, presented Ms. Johnson with an award for her efforts in recruiting patients into the Diabetes Prevention Trial. Members of Ms. Johnson's family are involved in the trial. "Even when I am no longer Miss America, I will do anything I can to help promote diabetes research," Nicole Johnson said. For more information on the trial, call 1–800–HALT–DM1.

A community partnership guide, introduced at the NDEP Partnership Network meeting in May, will be available later this fall. The guide gives communities the tools and strategies to promote diabetes activities and community partnerships. Many new products have been developed for these campaigns. All NDEP materials can be viewed on the NDEP web site at ndep.nih.gov or can be ordered by calling 1–800–438–5383.

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