Disseminating Public Health Evidence to Support Prevention and Control of Diabetes Among Local Health Departments

The Washington University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Organizational Support for Evidence-based Public Health

Treatments: Other: Dissemination of public health knowledge

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT03211832

5R01DK109913 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

201705026

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to identify and evaluate dissemination strategies to support the uptake of evidence-based programs and policies (EBPPs) for diabetes prevention and control among local-level public health practitioners. Dissemination strategies such as multi-day in-person training workshops, electronic information exchange modalities, and remote technical assistance are hypothesized to associate with improved access and use of public health evidence and organizational supports for program and policy decision making based on evidence-based public health.

Full description

Evidence-based public health approaches to prevent and control diabetes and other chronic diseases have been identified in recent decades, and could have a profound effect on diabetes incidence and quality and length of life of those diagnosed. However, barriers to implement approaches continue because of lack of organizational support, limited resources, competing priorities, and limited skill among the public health workforce. The purpose of this study is to determine effective ways to promote the adoption of evidence based public health practice related to diabetes and chronic disease prevention and control among local health departments (LHDs). This stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial aims to evaluate active dissemination strategies on local-level public health practitioners to increase adoption and use of evidence-based programs and policies for diabetes and chronic disease prevention and control among LHDs in Missouri. Twelve LHDs will be recruited and randomly assigned to one of three groups that cross over from usual practice to receive the intervention (dissemination) strategies at 8-month intervals; the intervention duration for groups ranges from 8 to 24 months. LHD staff and the university-based study team are jointly identifying, refining and selecting dissemination strategies. Intervention strategies may include multi-day in-person training workshops, electronic information exchange modalities, and remote technical assistance. Evaluation methods include surveys at baseline and at each 8-month interval, abstraction of LHD chronic disease prevention program plans and progress reports, and social network analysis.

Enrollment: 331 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 21+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Local Health Departments (LHDs, cluster) in the state of Missouri and corresponding public health workforce (individuals within cluster); screenings.

Exclusion criteria

• LHDs that have less than 5 employees working in or supporting diabetes or chronic disease control, which includes program areas of diabetes prevention and management, obesity prevention, physical activity, nutrition, cardiovascular health, and cancer

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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331 participants in 2 patient groups

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

The control group will conduct usual public health practice.

Intervention

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participating local health departments will help develop and choose several dissemination activities they prefer for their local health department to receive. Dissemination activities may include multi-day in-person training workshops, electronic information exchange modalities, remote technical assistance, and information on ways to enhance organizational climates favorable to evidence-based diabetes and chronic disease prevention and control.

Treatment:

Other: Dissemination of public health knowledge