China currently has the highest number of people with diabetes – over 90 million Chinese citizens are estimated to have diabetes with almost 60% are undiagnosed and unaware of their diabetes status and its consequences for their health and another 160 million have pre-diabetes.Late diagnosis results in patients presenting the first time when complications due to untreated high blood glucose such as impaired vision, kidney dysfunction, nerve damage, gangrene, cardiovascular diseases have already set in. Early diagnosis and proper care can prevent many of these complications.Awareness of modifiable risk factors like unhealthy food, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol and tobacco consumption as well as appropriate changes in lifestyle behaviour to avoid these risks is needed to prevent or delay the onset type 2 diabetes. Creating awareness and empowering people with simple tools to avoid risk factors is expected to have a great effect and reduce the burden and consequences of diabetes.The objective is to improve the general health status amongst people with diabetes as well as those at risk, by creating awareness among various stakeholders and the public through health education.
Chinese Centre for Health Education, Health News, and Communication Center will together with local health education institutions establish this three year project in 11 provinces of China. The project activities are directed at the general population, health providers, government leaders and media reporters in order to make sure the right health messages are disseminated to as many people as possible.Initially, a baseline survey will be conducted focusing on knowledge, attitude and perception towards prevention and control of diabetes including lifestyle factors; access to and dissemination of health care information and use of health care facilities. The survey format will be developed by 40 experts from different fields related to diabetes. A report based on the findings of the survey will be created and disseminated at leadership engagement meetings where key stakeholders will be invited to raise awareness to the issues. These meetings will be held in the first year of the project period.In addition the results from the survey will be collected in a brochure and 10,000 copies will be distributed to primary health care workers, government leaders, media etc. Simultaneously, a patient self-management brochure will be developed and printed in 80,000 copies and distributed to patients through various health care facilities in China.A Technical Guide for Diabetes Management and Health Education will be developed and given to people at grass root level and to primary health educators and leaders. The primary health educators will carry out training for approximately 600,000 patients.Another key component of the project is training of 180 journalists on issues related to diabetes prevention and care as well as development of a guide book for media reporting.Each year on World Diabetes Day, a series of activities will be organized in order to create awareness among the community. The activities will include different approaches like quizzes, exhibitions, cultural performances and other activities. Journalists will be report on the events, and thereby reach out even further.Awareness will be raised through a media campaign, involving TV shows, websites and outdoor posters. 10 health education programs will be conducted and broadcasted on more than 120 different TV stations and on various webpages. Posters will be distributed at health care centers, local communities and at public events. Altogether, this is expected to reach out to 20,000,000 people. The media campaign will cover various topics, like nutrition, sport, and early diagnosis.
· Baseline survey: 4,921 people surveyed in six provinces· 3 WDD events were conducted with an assessed population of 4,6 mio. people covered· Core information were developed and 2,000 copies were distributed· Media Coverage Guide on Diabetes Prevention and Control was developed and 190 journalists were trained· Patient self-management brochure developed and printed and distributed in 80,000 copies· Chinese Residents Diabetes Prevention report developed and 2,000 government leaders trained on report findings· Technical Guide for Diabetes Management and Health Education developed, printed and distributed; 2140 health educators trained on guide· 600,000 patients managed by the trained health educators· 10 episodes of health education program on diabetes prevention and control for TV broadcast produced and aired· Health counselling resource library developed and website visited by 5,4 mio. people· 100,000 posters developed and distributed· Final assessment carried out surveying 2,700 patients.