Interior Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada are partnering to deliver the new Addressing Diabetes in Urban Marginalized Populations Project. This 5-month project aims to make diabetes education and self management information more accessible to marginalized populations by building community partnerships and using peer-to-peer education.   

“This initiative is a part of Canada’s Diabetes Strategy which aims to establish effective diabetes prevention and management strategies for all Canadians,” says Kelowna – Lake Country MP, Ron Cannan. “It’s an example of our government’s commitment to high quality health care for everyone.”

Type 2 Diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in Canada with more than 60,000 new cases each year. The unfortunate reality is that homeless and low income Canadians are a high risk group for developing diabetes and they face numerous social and financial obstacles that prevent them from accessing health services.        

The program involves creating community groups for those who are interested in working with healthcare providers to address their diabetes. These group members then go on to mentor others.

“Ultimately, this program increases the capacity of this population to manage their illness and to educate each other,” says James Kuecks, the project coordinator for Interior Health. “It is a very empowering and inclusive approach. “

One of the objectives of the project is to create partnerships between urban health centres, local Aboriginal friendship centres, diabetes programs and primary care clinics. Those involved in the project see the potential for long-term benefits as they work together to increase the knowledge, skills and capacity of the people who work with this population.

The program is being piloted in Vernon, Kelowna and Kamloops, but the knowledge gained and resources developed will benefit other communities across Interior Health. 

“We are hoping that other communities will not only use the resources we develop but also learn from our experiences in forming and facilitating these groups” says Adam Wylie, Kelowna’ s Outreach Urban Health Program Coordinator.    
 
The program will be running at the Downtown Primary Care Centre in Vernon, Kelowna’s Outreach Urban Health Clinic, and the Urban Native Health Centre in Kamloops, as well as the associated Aboriginal friendship societies in each community. Sites were selected because of their experience and skills in working with marginalized populations as well as their previous successes in collaborating with community partners.