State diabetes prevention and control program participation in the Health Disparities Collaborative: evaluating the...

Approximately 20.8 million people in the United States, or 7% of the population, have diabetes mellitus. Treatment for this disease costs Americans more than 130 billion dollars yearly, and it is the sixth leading cause of death. The prevalence of diabetes has grown substantially in recent decades and is expected to continue to rise.

The medically underserved and poor are at greater risk of developing diabetes and its complications than are other members of the U.S. population. The Health Resources and Services Administration makes health care resources and services available to economically disadvantaged populations through the Health Disparities Collaborative (HDC), a consortium formed to pool resources and services from state- and community-level donors. Since 1999, many of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Diabetes Translation State Diabetes Prevention and Control Programs (DPCPs) have joined the HDC to leverage resources and services.

The purpose of a 2004 evaluation was to examine the impact that DPCP involvement with the Collaborative had on aspects of diabetes care at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). An electronic survey was administered to DPCP coordinators. They were asked about 1) their roles and experience as participants in the Collaborative; 2) the skills and expertise most useful in developing and maintaining an effective collaboration for improved health care for diabetes; 3) which DPCP contributions were viewed as being routine and which were perceived to be essential; 4) the effects of DPCP contributions on the use of the chronic care model under which FQHCs operate; and 5) which health systems improvements played the greatest role in enhancing components of the chronic care model.

Most respondents identified themselves as DPCP coordinators with 3 years of experience in that position. Organizational skills, such as communication, leadership, conflict resolution, negotiation, and meeting management, were cited as necessary to develop and maintain collaborative partnerships. DPCP contributions to FQHCs were perceived to be training, technical assistance with clinical care and patient education, financial resources, linkages to other diabetes partners, educational materials, and improved linkages with community resources.

DPCPs contribute resources, skills, knowledge, and varied perspectives to the Collaborative that FQHCs may not have otherwise.