Diabetes Management and Prevention
Fast Facts about Diabetes in Louisiana
Well-Ahead Louisiana empowers leaders in key organizations across the state to take an active role in the fight against diabetes in our communities. By making healthy living easy and accessible to residents at risk for or living with type 2 diabetes, we can move Louisiana’s health forward.
Family, food and fun makes life in Louisiana hard to beat. And our lifestyle has a big impact on our overall health. Health risk behaviors like poor diet, physical inactivity and tobacco use, as well as limited access to healthcare, cause our state to lead the nation in statistics for chronic diseases like diabetes.
1 in 3
Louisiana residents were estimated to have prediabetes in 2017¹
13% of Louisiana residents have diabetes, which can fill the Superdome
13X2
In 2017, prediabetes cost Louisiana
$4.9 billion3
15%
of Black Louisiana residents have diabetes compared to 12% of white Louisiana residents²
Reducing the Burden of Diabetes in Louisiana
If we want to have the greatest health impact possible in our communities, we must work together. Everyone has a role to play in reducing the burden of diabetes in our state. We work to ensure our residents have access to quality health services for diabetes management and prevention by training and educating healthcare professionals on best practices and building connections between the community and clinical sector. Organization leaders in our communities can also build environments that encourage healthy habits that help prevent and manage diabetes where our residents live, work, learn, play and pray.
By focusing on connecting community organizations to evidence-based resources, we can empower leaders to implement healthy policy, systems and environmental changes and ensure access to quality health services.
Diabetes Education and Training
Through its Provider Education Network, as well as the Louisiana Diabetes Educator Network (LaDEN) and LaDEN Prevents, Well-Ahead provides a variety of education and training opportunities to healthcare providers, evidence-based program coordinators, lifestyle coaches, certified diabetes educators and community health workers.
Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support
Diabetes self-management education and support is an evidence-based service that empowers residents living with diabetes with skills to stay healthy. Well-Ahead improves access to and participation in diabetes self-management education and support services across the state.
Louisiana Obesity and Diabetes Collaborative
The Louisiana Obesity and Diabetes Collaborative is a multi-sector group of community leaders that raises awareness about obesity, prediabetes and diabetes; and collaborates to coordinate prevention and management strategies.
Medication Therapy Management
Including pharmacists as members of care teams can significantly improve the treatment of diabetes. Well-Ahead engages pharmacists to provide medication therapy management services in conjunction with diabetes self-management education and support services.
National Diabetes Prevention Program
The National Diabetes Prevention Program is an evidence-based CDC-recognized lifestyle change program offered in organizations across the nation that can cut a participant’s risk for developing diabetes in half. Well-Ahead increases enrollment in existing Louisiana programs, coordinates partnerships between public and private organizations to start-up new programs and works to include the program as a covered health benefit among private and public insurers.
Population Health Cohort
Through the Population Health Cohort, Well-Ahead provides coaching to care teams on implementing evidence-based strategies for diabetes prevention and management. Plus, participating clinics get exclusive access to a customized platform for data management.
Screening, Testing and Referral
Protocols for early detection of type 2 diabetes and referral to evidence-based programs should be a standard of care in all clinical settings. Well-Ahead supports care teams in implementing systems to identify residents with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and refer them to evidence-based programs, including establishing bi-directional e-referral systems.
WellSpot Designation
By becoming a WellSpot, organizations across the state are creating healthy spaces and places where our residents can build habits to help prevent and manage chronic conditions, like diabetes.
Citations
1 American Diabetes Association, 2019. https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/42/9/1661.article-info
2 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), 2019.
3 American Diabetes Association, 2019. https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/42/9/1661.figures-only
Success Stories
Local leaders dedicated to helping prevent and manage diabetes in our communities are moving Louisiana’s health forward.
Southwest Louisiana Residents Live in Control of Diabetes with Help from Innovative Program
In southwest Louisiana, where diabetes is prevalent, residents have a vital support system to manage their diabetes thanks to the SWLA Center for Health Services’ Live in Control Program.
Better Health through Better Understanding
Chronic Disease Prevalence for Louisiana Minorities Louisiana is home to a melting pot of people, making up the rich culture of our state. Unfortunately, not all of our residents are afforded the same access to care.
Hardtner Medical Center’s Pharmacist Enhances Chronic Care Management Team
Through the Chronic Care Management program, Hardtner Medical Center medical personnel are better able to provide at-risk, chronic-care patients the best care possible.