The public health issue: Diabetes continues to be a life threatening condition for tens of millions of Americans. A diabetes diagnosis increases the risk of severe health problems including blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, and loss of toes, feet, or legs. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed through engagement in the CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program, which instructs on weight loss, healthy eating and physical activity.

Our contribution to the client: The Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Diabetes Prevention and Control Program enlisted PHMC’s Research & Evaluation Group to evaluate and support its statewide Diabetes Prevention Program initiative. Our team collaborates with regional partners to collect quarterly data on program site recruitment, participant successes, and system-wide barriers to successful program delivery. The Research & Evaluation Group’s formative reports allow for real-time adjustments and improvements to program structure and implementation. The Research & Evaluation Group has also assisted in developing tools for sustainability plan tracking, cost-benefit analysis, and staff feedback collection. As the Pennsylvania Department of Health continues to support growth of this program, the Research & Evaluation Group has expanded evaluation to include client-level health data. The Pennsylvania Department of Health, as evidenced in our evaluation work, continues to successfully grow reach and increase access to the program for Pennsylvanians. Annually, Research & Evaluation Group presents state maps, designed through ArcGIS software, documenting Pennsylvania Department of Health Diabetes Prevention Program (PADOH DPP) partner sites and number of adults within a 10-mile radius to these sites.

Research Spotlight