title: Utilizing health ambassadors to improve type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease outcomes in Gadsden County, Florida.
abstract: Minority racial and ethnic groups are at higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes. These groups also experience more severe complications from diabetes and have higher mortality rates as a result of the disease, such as cardiovascular disease, amputation and kidney failure. Underserved rural ethnically disparate populations benefit from health education outreach efforts that are conveyed and translated by specially-trained community health ambassadors. Project H.I.G.H. (Helping Individuals Get Healthy) was developed to target the priority areas of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Utilizing trained community health ambassadors, CDC's The Road to Health Toolkit as well as New Beginnings: A Discussion Guide for Living Well with Diabetes was used as a model for a community-based educational program. The overall goal of Project H.I.G.H was to implement and evaluate: (1) a coordinated, behavior-focused, family-centered, community-based educational program and; (2) a client service coordination effort resulting in improved health outcomes (BMI, Glucose Levels, BP) for individuals with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Gadsden County, Florida. Overall, Project H.I.G.H. was very successful in its first year at motivating participants to delay or prevent diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease or at the very least to start taking better care of their health.
authors.affiliation: Florida A&M University, Institute of Public Health, 207 C FSH Science Research Center, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA. Electronic address: sandra.suther@famu.edu.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suther
authors.affiliation: Mother Care Network, Inc., 919 Hardin Street, Quincy, FL 32351, USA. Electronic address: arriebattle@comcast.net.
authors.forename: Arrie M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Battle
authors.affiliation: Mother Care Network, Inc., 919 Hardin Street, Quincy, Florida 32351, USA. Electronic address: battlejones43@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Felecia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Battle-Jones
authors.affiliation: Florida A&M University, College of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 520 FSH Science Research Center, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Seaborn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003150:Community Health Workers; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006293:Health Promotion; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D035862:Vulnerable Populations; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: African American; Community health worker; Diabetes