Latino Eye Health: A Communication Strategy for Diabetes

描述(申请人提供)：糖尿病和糖尿病眼病是拉美裔社区中的重大公共卫生问题，有证据表明，在这一群体中，缺乏知识和寻求适当眼睛护理的障碍。目前的眼睛健康教育工作可以通过开发和传播基于Ideation行为改变模式的新的健康传播策略来改进。战略设计的基本原则包括跨学科方法、拉美裔社区参与、多种传播渠道和教育娱乐元素。该项目的目标是在马里兰州巴尔的摩为患有糖尿病的拉美裔人开发和评估眼健康沟通策略。最初的阶段是形成性研究，将包括1：对随机选择的区组中的拉丁裔进行家庭调查。调查将涵盖糖尿病和眼病的知识、态度和求医行为，健康信息来源，以及各种媒体的使用；2：由主要领导人、社区成员和与拉丁裔社区合作的机构成员组成的焦点小组，提供信息并完善健康传播战略本身。拉美裔眼睛健康传播战略将以传播理论的模型和原则为基础，特别是社区参与，以加强宣传和建立可持续性。设想的组成部分是电台广告、中篇小说、海报、流动摊位/展览，以及载有关于预防拉丁裔糖尿病患者失明和获得眼部护理服务的明确信息的小册子。对拉丁裔眼睛健康传播战略的评估将是双管齐下的：在引入传播战略后，进行重复的家庭调查，以确定知识、态度和做法。第二项是一项为期三年的纵向研究，对象是一家哨兵全科医疗诊所确诊的250名患有糖尿病的拉丁裔人。眼睛护理寻求行为的变化将在三年内确定。眼睛护理行为的改善应该有助于避免糖尿病视网膜病变和黄斑水肿造成的视力损失，这是工作年龄拉丁裔人口视力丧失的主要原因。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Diabetes and diabetic eye disease are significant public health problems within the Latino community, and there is evidence for lack of knowledge and barriers to seeking appropriate eye care within this population. Current eye health education efforts can be improved through development and dissemination of novel health communication strategies based on the Ideation Behavior Change model. Among the basic principles of strategic design are interdisciplinary approaches, Latino community participation, multiple channels for dissemination, and educational entertainment elements. The goal of this project is to develop and evaluate an eye health communication strategy for Latinos with diabetes, in Baltimore MD. The initial phase, formative research, will include 1: a household survey of Latinos in randomly selected block groups. The survey will cover knowledge, attitudes, and care seeking behaviors for diabetes and eye disease, sources of health information, and use of various media; 2: Focus groups comprised of key leaders, community members, and members of agencies working with the Latino community to provide input, and refine, the health communication strategy itself. The Latino Eye Health Communication strategy will be based on models and principles of communication theory, especially community participation to enhance advocacy and build sustainability. Components are envisioned to be radio spots, novellas, posters, mobile booths/show, and pamphlets with clear information on prevention of vision loss for Latinos with diabetes, and on access to eye care services. The evaluation of the Latino Eye Health Communication strategy will be two pronged: a repeat household survey to determine knowledge, attitudes, and practices after the introduction of the communication strategy. The second is a longitudinal study over three years of 250 Latinos with diabetes identified at a sentinel general medical clinic. Change in eye care seeking behavior will be determined over the three years. Improvements in eye care seeking behaviors should help in avoiding visual loss from diabetic retinopathy and macula edema, the leading causes of visual loss in the working age Latino population.