Fighting diabetes in Indianapolis
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Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
An effort to combat diabetes in several Indianapolis neighborhoods is showing signs of success and identifying strategies that could be implemented in more communities.
Why it matters: It's estimated that nearly 40 million Americans have diabetes, making them susceptible to cardiovascular, kidney and circulation problems, limb loss, eye disease, nerve damage and strokes, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Driving the news: An eight-year project, led by the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IU Indianapolis in partnership with Eskenazi Health and the Marion County Public Health Department with funding from Eli Lilly and Company, has been studying the effectiveness of community-based partnerships in reducing the burden of diabetes.
- Researchers with the Diabetes Impact Project-Indianapolis Neighborhoods, also known as DIP-IN, identified three neighborhoods where the disease is impacting more than 23% of residents — nearly twice the national average.
- Since 2018, DIP-IN has worked with the Near Northwest, Near West and Northeast communities.
What they found: Residents who worked with Eskenazi DIP-IN clinical community health workers over a three-year period saw their blood-sugar levels drop more than people who didn't meet with community health workers, according to a paper published earlier this year in the journal Preventive Medicine Reports.
Zoom in: Six clinical health workers meet with DIP-IN clients, as well as one neighborhood community health worker employed at a local community-based organization in each neighborhood.
- Researchers found that the community health worker played a key role, helping raise awareness with residents and engaging community partners on related initiatives, like healthy food access, community gardens and mental health wellness.
What's next: The project has two years left, but partners are already looking for ways to continue the work and the community health worker model is being looked at by other health systems as a possible tool to combat other chronic illnesses.