Diabetes is No Sweet Thing!Diabetes Education Campaign

Sumter County Active Lifestyles

Sumter County Active Lifestyles (SCAL)

• Mission: to promote health and quality of life in Sumter County by advocating for a community environment that supports physically active lifestyles for all citizens Bicycle-friendly community environment Pedestrian-friendly community environment Overall active community environment Outreach to underserved areas to address

disparities in supports for physical activity

Diabetes is No Sweet Thing!

• Focus population: African American adults in Rembert & Wedgefield, Sumter County, SC

• Outlet: African American churches

Project Goals

• Expand SCAL’s outreach by forming partnerships with African American churches to address health disparities in diabetes

• Increase opportunities for adult African American residents of Rembert and Wedgefield to learn that diabetes is serious but can prevented and controlled by simple lifestyles changes

How would we achieve our goals?

• Apply participatory social marketing strategies to create and distribute custom-designed printed educational materials

Social Marketing Strategies

• Phase 1: Formative research- Focus groups were held with members of the target population to assess their knowledge of diabetes, diabetes risk factors/risk reduction/management, and preferences for distribution of diabetes information in churches.

Notable Quotes about Diabetes

• “I don’t think Black people really focus on their health issues.”

• “A lot of times we don’t try to get education on it until it hits us or our family members.”

• “Our problem is not knowing what to do to control it.”

• “People need to take responsibility for themselves.”

• “You’re faced with a lot of challenges...”

• “Any disease we’re not aware of affects the community...financially and everything else.”

• “It ain’t no joke.”• “Let people know that, even

if they’re diagnosed with it, they don’t have to be afraid.”

Social Marketing Strategies

• Phase 2: Campaign message development- Under the guidance of project staff*, selected focus group participants used the focus group data to develop the educational messages for the printed materials.

*RD, RD/CDE & evaluation specialist

Educational message topics• Diabetes statistics• What is diabetes, causes, symptoms, how diagnosed,

complications• Type 2 diabetes risk factors• Pre-diabetes• Lifestyle habits (diet & exercise) that prevent & control

diabetes• Habits that increase risk (alcohol & smoking)• Diabetes myths vs. facts• Diabetes management

“Diabetes is serious.”

Social Marketing Strategies• Phase 3: Materials production-

3 hand fans

3 posters4 bulletin inserts

3 bookmarks

Social Marketing Strategies

• Phase 4: Campaign implementation- – Churches were invited by letter. – Interested churches signed an MOA and appointed

a coordinator to distribute and track the educational materials.

– Materials were distributed in a specific manner once a week for 6 weeks. Completed materials distribution logs were returned to SCAL.

Social Marketing Strategies

• Phase 5: Program process evaluation- Campaign elements reach (# people who received

materials) Campaign elements frequency (# times messages

were presented) Materials dissemination (what, how many, to whom) Implementation fidelity (did what we planned to do,

on time, and per defined activities & expected results?)

Project Outcomes

• 4 partner churches• Educational messages given once a week for 6

weeks• Average of 272 people reached each week• Est. 217 additional people from other

churches, a school & youth shelter reached

Linda Pekuri, Executive Directorlpekuri@sumtercountysc.org

(803) 774-3861www.SumterCountyActiveLifestyles.org