DETS Recruitment Web Survey Reports an Estimated 13 Million Reached Through NIH, NIDDK, IHS, and CDC Diabetes Program in 2009

Albuquerque, NM – January 26, 2010 – A recent survey[1] conducted by the Diabetes-Based Education in Tribal Schools (DETS) Program reports an estimated 13.4 million people received information about the tribal-based diabetes initiative in 2009.  DETS, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, Indian Health Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was developed to change perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes about diabetes through classroom learning experiences that empower American Indian and Alaska Native students to adopt healthier lifestyles.

According to the survey, 38 states[2] and the District of Columbia participated in DETS curriculum activities throughout the year, which ranged from school visits, media outreach, conference participation, community events, teacher workshops, advocacy meetings, and phone outreach.  The survey collected information about the nature of DETS curriculum outreach activities, the areas influenced by those activities, and the approximate number of people reached through each effort.

“While it takes a number of years to begin to see quantifiable results in the health of a population, this survey suggests that the DETS program is being received with great enthusiasm,” Carol Maller, the Director of the DETS program at SIPI, said. “The American Indian and Alaska Native population is almost three times more likely to have diabetes than the general population and the DETS program is giving these students the knowledge they need to make healthy lifestyle choices,” she added.

In an effort to continue the program’s momentum, the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) located in Albuquerque, NM will co-host a two-day DETS Steering Committee meeting with Stone Child College and Fort Peck Community College on January 26 and 27, 2010 to discuss the progress of the DETS program.   Representatives from Cankdeska Cikana Community College (North Dakota), Fort Peck Community College, (Montana), Haskell Indian Nations University (Kansas), Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College (Michigan), Leech Lake Tribal College (Minnesota), Northwest Indian College (Washington) and Stone Child College (Montana) will attend the committee meeting along with representatives from SIPI, which is co-hosting the event. The event will be held at the Embassy Suites at 1000 Woodward Place NE, Albuquerque, NM.

“The Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute is honored to co-host the upcoming DETS Steering Committing meeting,” said SIPI President Dr. Sherry Allison.  “This program has come a long way since it was first launched in 2008 and we must remain diligent in our efforts to drive behavioral changes and reduce Type 2 diabetes diagnoses in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.”

About DETS
The DETS Health Is Life in Balance curriculum was designed to increase American Indian and Alaska Native students’ understanding of health, diabetes, and maintaining life in balance; to increase their understanding and application of scientific and community knowledge; and to increase interest in science and health professions among American Indian and Alaska Native youth.  The program is a collaborative effort that includes the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Indian Health Service Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Native Diabetes Wellness Program, the National Institutes of Health Office of Science Education and eight Tribal Colleges and Universities.

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[1] The 2009 Recruitment Web Survey was conducted throughout 2009.  Respondents included DETS outreach representatives from Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Fort Peck Community College, Haskell Indian Nations University, Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College, Leech Lake Tribal College, Northwest Indian College, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, and Stone Child College.  Survey data was self-reported and is not scientific.
[2] States included: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming; and Washington, D.C.