Improving Diabetes Prevention and Management

Project Title

Diabetes Prevention Programs: What Is the Weight of the Evidence?

Grant Amount

$124,164

Priority Area

Improving Diabetes Prevention and Management

Date Awarded

April 18, 2013

Region

Outside New York State

Status

Closed

Website

http://www.uchicago.edu/

SEE GRANT OUTCOMES

NYHealth has had an ongoing interest in diabetes prevention since launching the Diabetes Campaign in 2008.

Evidence related to the outcomes of diabetes prevention programs is very important for convincing health care payers and other funders to invest in prevention for people who are at risk for diabetes, which in turn reinforces the sustainability of these programs. However, it is often difficult for these non-academic audiences to synthesize the cumulative health outcomes and cost results of prevention program studies. NYHealth and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) have partnered to co-fund the production of a report that will synthesize the evidence related to the health outcomes, implementation costs, and overall cost implications of existing diabetes prevention programs, while weighing the strength of the findings and exposing the gaps in knowledge. Through a competitive request for proposals, the University of Chicago was selected to undertake this analysis.

Under this grant, the University of Chicago explored the effectiveness of existing diabetes prevention programs for populations at highest risk for developing diabetes and the implementation and ongoing costs of running these programs, especially when compared to medication management programs. The University of Chicago convened an advisory group to refine the list of population health and policy questions; conducted a literature review; analyzed the evidence concerning diabetes prevention and gaps in knowledge; and translated the results into a synthesis report for key decision-makers, including payers and public policy and health care leaders. It also wrote a short policy brief that summarizes its findings. NYHealth and RWJF disseminated the report to the New York State Department of Health; the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; other senior national and State policymakers; funders; and health insurance plan professionals.

Read the synthesis report: “The Effectiveness of Diabetes Prevention Programs in Community Settings

Read the accompanying policy brief highlighting key findings from the synthesis.