Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

There is an urgent need to improve health equity and outcomes for individuals living with and managing chronic conditions, including diabetes. Researchers have found seniors with diabetes often do not have a clear understanding of or knowledge about diabetes, and the fundamental role self-management has in avoiding potential complications of the disease. Moreover, healthcare providers often fail to understand self-management is particular to each person, and is affected by contextual factors, including social determinants of health. We are not aware of any self-management programs for seniors with diabetes that have involved those living with the disease and their providers, to collaboratively plan, design, implement and evaluate an intervention for improved self-care. The proposed plan will engage seniors living with diabetes in a rural community by inviting them to a fun, interactive brainstorming activity for planning self-management diabetes education programs that will account for individual needs and preferences. In partnership with Sharbot Lake Family Health Team, and using a participatory action research approach, our objectives are: (1) have a half-day meeting to formulate a research question and plan the development, refinement, and evaluation of a community-driven diabetes education program for seniors living with diabetes; attendees will include seniors, healthcare providers and researchers; (2) develop a research proposal for the CIHR-Project Program based on the findings from Objective 1 through a consensus method; and (3) mobilize knowledge related to the outcomes of this planning grant using diverse dissemination strategies. The findings will be used for the establishment of a unique self-management education program for seniors, addressing the vital need for better educational services that reflect the priorities and wishes of seniors with diabetes in society-all of which may benefit similar communities for healthier living.