Projects Plus

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Welcome to the second edition of Projects Plus. The Prevention and Promotion Contribution Program of the Canadian Diabetes Strategy is now well into its third year of operation, and a lot is happening both regionally and nationally. The primary focus of this communiqué is to look at Atlantic region activity, but here is just a taste of the many national initiatives:

• The Canadian Diabetes Symposium - A National Diabetes Strategy: Time for Action will be held in Winnipeg from May 3-6, 2003.
  
• A new diabetes social marketing campaign was launched in November 2002. The primary target group is women and families, particularly mothers between the ages of 25 and 39.
  
• Three projects with national scope have been funded in the Atlantic region (see page 3).
  
• A national Prevention and Promotion Evaluation Monitoring Report is now available.
  

(For more information on any of these national initiatives, visit our national Web site at www.diabetes.gc.ca)

Here in Atlantic Canada, our work under the Prevention and Promotion Contribution Program is complemented by the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative (ADI). First Nations organizations in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island have hired Diabetes Community Consultants. In Newfoundland and Labrador the communities of Davis Inlet and Sheshatshiu have received funding for a variety of prevention, care and treatment services. The Labrador Inuit Health Commission, the Conne River First Nation, the Native Council of Nova Scotia, the Labrador Métis Nation, the Federation of Newfoundland Indians, the Mikmaq First Nations Healing Society and the Native Council of Prince Edward Island have also received ADI funding.

Projects are saying... "One child's mother sent a thank-you letter saying she had been trying to get her child to eat healthier foods at school but until now the peer pressure had made it very difficult." - Promotion and Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes, Canadian Living Foundation, NB Breakfast for Learning Advisory Board "It is exciting to be approaching the end of this phase of the project with so much success and positive feedback. The popularity of the Wellness Check is also our greatest challenge. Excitement is brewing as other employers hear about this assessment tool and want to use it in their own workplace." - Healthy Choices for Worksites, Heart and Stroke Foundation of PEI

Atlantic Region Evaluation Update
We have begun to implement the Atlantic region evaluation framework that we developed a year ago to assess the overall impact of the Prevention and Promotion Contribution Program on its capacity to prevent diabetes in the Atlantic region. In July 2002 we met with project representatives to discuss the results of our six-month evaluation. We expect to conduct a second evaluation dialogue this winter to focus on partnerships in an effort to improve our understanding of more effective ways to build partnerships and prevent diabetes in Atlantic Canada.

Please note that this document was published by Health Canada prior to the announcement of the establishment of the Public Health Agency of Canada on September 24, 2004. Any reference to Health Canada should be assumed to be to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

 

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