The ADCES Foundation has awarded $60,000 in grants to innovative projects that are expanding access of diabetes care and education among three underserved populations: deaf and hard of hearing people with diabetes, people with gestational diabetes, and people experiencing food insecurity.  

In Philadelphia, researchers at Villanova University M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing will address diabetes in a population experiencing food insecurity. By providing diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) at a community-based emergency food market, researchers will support the health needs of the food pantry’s consumers, over one-third of whom report having diabetes. Over the course of the 12-week project, nursing students, registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) and diabetes care and education specialists (DCESs) from the university will facilitate DSMES services through text messaging, monthly group sessions and peer mentorship. Study participants will also receive nutritious food from Martha’s Choice Marketplace that is consistent with dietary guidelines for diabetes. 

Researchers at Bowling Green State University in Ohio will pilot a study that focuses on advancing care planning for people with gestational diabetes. The study will use an evidence-based care plan based on the ADCES7 Self-Care Behaviors™ framework to decrease the heightened risk of type 2 diabetes development in patients with gestational diabetes. DCESs will be used to implement this care plan during pregnancy, after delivery, and in the postpartum period. The proposed project aligns with the ADCES 2022 Research Agenda’s focus on development and implementation of evidenced-based best practices that drive integration of DSMES and improve health equity. 

Researchers at the University of Utah will develop diabetes training to increase access of DSMES to deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) people with diabetes. Through this project, training for American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters will be developed to address the diabetes-specific vocabulary gaps that exist in ASL. As DHH individuals are more than three times more likely to have a diabetes diagnosis than those without hearing impairments, this project addresses a critical disparity that may be related to a lack of health information access. 

These grants are made available through the Advancing the Science of Diabetes Care and Education program of the ADCES Foundation, which seeks to allocate resources to and support translational research that expands the horizons of diabetes education, management and support. While DCES and DSMES services have been shown to be effective at improving the well-being of people with diabetes, prediabetes, and cardiometabolic conditions, several barriers that prevent equitable access persist for populations that face a disproportionate risk. Projects supported by the Reaching Out for Better Health program help to decrease these barriers and improve equitable access for communities and populations that stand to benefit most from the work of DCESs. 

About the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists:
ADCES is an interdisciplinary professional membership organization dedicated to improving prediabetes, diabetes and cardiometabolic care through innovative education, management and support. With more than 12,000 professional members including nurses, dietitians, pharmacists and others, ADCES has a vast network of practitioners working to optimize care and reduce complications. ADCES supports an integrated care model that lowers the cost of care, improves experiences and helps its members lead so better outcomes follow. Learn more at DiabetesEducator.org, or visit us on Facebook or LinkedIn (Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists), Twitter (@ADCESdiabetes) and Instagram (@ADCESdiabetes).