New community-based diabetes activities will help bridge the health gap for minority communities

KING COUNTY, WA - Today, Public Health - Seattle & King County announced that the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) 2010 Coalition has kicked off its first community-based intervention activities, focusing on African Americans, Asian American/Pacific Islander Americans, and Latinos, communities disproportionately affected by diabetes.

"Our residents are very fortunate to have access to culturally-sensitive education and services," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "REACH will allow our community to make significant strides in eliminating health disparities."

"We've identified the communities that are most at risk for diabetes, and now we'll begin to offer them the support they need to prevent or effectively manage the disease," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County.

The community-based intervention activities include support groups, education classes and self-management classes. Groups and classes are free and open to the public, and they are targeted for people who have diabetes and those at risk for developing diabetes, as well as their family members and friends.

"These activities, determined following community assessments, will help individuals manage their diabetes, change their diet and lifestyle, and obtain needed services and support," said Dr. Cheza Collier, a Public Health - Seattle & King County chronic disease prevention expert.

Participation in diabetes management and prevention activities

To participate in REACH activities, people in the African-American community may contact:

Center for MultiCultural Health, 105 14th Ave., Suite 2C, Seattle, (206) 461-6910
African American Community Health Network, 300 19th Ave., Seattle, (206) 860-9883
Country Doctor Community Health Centers/Carolyn Downs, 2101 E. Yesler, Seattle, (206) 299-1900, ext. 432

People in the Latino/Hispanic community may contact:

Sea Mar Community Health Centers, 1040 S. Henderson St., Seattle, (206) 764-4700, ext. 6303

People in the Asian-American/Pacific-Islander American communities may contact:

International Community Health Services, 720 8th Ave. S., Suite 100, Seattle (206) 461-3617, ext. 3111

REACH Coalition background

Of the 25 REACH programs nationwide, the Coalition in Seattle and King County is unique in its multi-cultural approach to eliminating diabetes-related health disparities. Cultural relevance is assured through a focus on ethnic-specific foods, having bilingual and bicultural staff or interpreters present, and addressing the cultural contexts and barriers of diabetes care and control.

The Seattle-King County REACH 2010 Coalition includes a large number of organizations, diabetes experts and people with diabetes. For more information on REACH, please contact Lois Watkins, the REACH Program Coordinator, at (206) 296-7621.

To view Public Health's "Data Watch Report: Diabetes Prevalence and Death in King County and United States" (November 1999), please visit: www.metrokc.gov/health/phnr/eapd/reports/diabetes.pdf (Adobe PDF format)

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