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Diabetes Prevention and Care Programs in the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands: Challenges, Innovation, and Recommendations for Effective Scale-Up

  • Economics and Policy in Diabetes (AA Baig and N Laiteerapong, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review describes some of the unique challenges faced by the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPIs) in addressing diabetes prevention and care and presents innovative population-level strategies that have been employed to address them.

Recent Findings

Challenges include an unhealthy food environment and a strained health care infrastructure, both compounded by geography. Innovations in addressing these challenges include attempts to modify the food environment, a focus on early life prevention, and task shifting among the health workforce. Many of the successful interventions share a focus on culture, community, and capacity building.

Summary

Although the USAPIs are uniquely challenged by environmental, structural, and health system barriers, there have been a number of innovative and successful strategies employed that highlight the resilience of these island nations in addressing their current disease burden when provided with the opportunity and resources to do so. Health policies to protect, support, and promote diabetes prevention and care are essential and may be informed by the interventions described.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA

    Nicola L. Hawley

  2. Yale College, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Rachel Suss

  3. Regional Epidemiology Unit, Pacific Island Health Officers’ Association, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Haley L. Cash

  4. Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Nia Aitaoto

  5. Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, City of Hope Hospital, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Raynald Samoa

  6. College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA

    Britni Ayers & Pearl McElfish

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  1. Nicola L. Hawley
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  7. Pearl McElfish
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Correspondence to Nicola L. Hawley.

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Conflict of Interest

Nicola L. Hawley, Rachel Suss, Haley L. Cash, Nia Aitaoto, Raynald Samoa, Britni Ayers, and Pearl McElfish declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All reported studies/experiments with human or animal subjects performed by the authors have been previously published and complied with all applicable ethical standards (including the Helsinki declaration and its amendments, institutional/national research committee standards, and international/national/institutional guidelines).

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Hawley, N.L., Suss, R., Cash, H.L. et al. Diabetes Prevention and Care Programs in the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands: Challenges, Innovation, and Recommendations for Effective Scale-Up. Curr Diab Rep 19, 24 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-019-1139-0

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