The NDEP Fact Sheet

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Purpose ^ top

Founded in 1997, the National Diabetes Education Program is a federally-sponsored initiative that involves public and private partners in efforts to improve the treatment and outcomes for people with diabetes, promote early diagnosis, and prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.
 

Sponsors ^ top

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) is jointly sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health and the Division of Diabetes Translation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with the support of more than 200 partner organizations.
 

Need ^ top

A growing epidemic, diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. It affects an estimated 23.6 million Americans, of whom 5.7 million are undiagnosed and at risk for disabling and life threatening diabetes complications.* People with diabetes have an increased risk for heart attack and stroke, as well as kidney, eye, and nerve disease. Research shows that much of the illness and death caused by diabetes can be prevented or delayed by optimal management with healthy food choices, physical activity, and medications to normalize blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and lipids. Despite these improvements in health outcomes, a wide gap still exists between current and desired diabetes care and practices.

Research also shows that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed through modest weight loss and regular physical activity in the estimated 57 million adults with pre-diabetes who are at high risk for the disease. People with pre-diabetes have blood glucose levels that are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes.
 

Goal ^ top

NDEP’s goal is to reduce the illness and death caused by diabetes and its complications.
 

Objectives ^ top

NDEP’s objectives are to:

• Increase awareness and understanding of the seriousness of diabetes, its risk factors, and strategies for preventing diabetes and its complications among groups at risk.

• Promote effective self-care among people with or at risk for diabetes.

• Promote a comprehensive, patient-centered team approach to care.

• Promote effective lifestyle change for people at risk for diabetes.

• Promote health care policies that improve the quality of and access to diabetes care.

• Reduce health disparities in racial and ethnic populations severely burdened by diabetes.
   

Audiences ^ top

NDEP’s target audiences include:

• People with diabetes and their families.

• People at risk for type 2 diabetes, with special attention to African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, older adults, and women with a history of gestational diabetes and their children.

• Health care professionals.

• Health care payers, purchasers, and policy makers.
   

Strategies ^ top

NDEP’s strategies are to:

• Create program partnerships with organizations concerned about diabetes and the health status of their members.

• Develop and implement ongoing diabetes awareness and education campaigns for health care professionals and people with or at risk for diabetes.

• Identify, develop, promote, and disseminate educational tools and resources for people with diabetes and those at risk, including materials that address the needs of special populations.

• Disseminate guiding principles that promote quality diabetes care to health care professionals, payers, purchasers, and policymakers.

• Promote policies and activities to improve the quality of and access to care for people with and at risk for diabetes.

• Address the economic case for quality diabetes care to inform health care payers, purchasers, and policymakers.
   

Steering Committee ^ top

NDEP’s Steering Committee organizations include:

• American Academy of Family Physicians

• American Academy of Nurse Practitioners

• American Academy of Pediatrics

• American Academy of Physician Assistants

• American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists

• American Association of Diabetes Educators

• American College of Physicians

• American Diabetes Association

• American Dietetic Association

• American Medical Association

• American Pharmacists Association

• Association of American Indian Physicians

• Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations

• Black Women’s Health Imperative

• Diabetes Research and Training Centers

• The Endocrine Society

• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International

• Khmer Health Advocates

• Lions Clubs International

• National Alliance for Hispanic Health

• National Association of School Nurses

• National Hispanic Medical Association

• National Latina Health Network

• National Medical Association

• Papa Ola Lokahi
   

Federal agency liaisons to the NDEP Steering Committee include:

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

• Diabetes Council (State Diabetes Prevention and Control Programs)

• Health Resources and Services Administration

• Indian Health Service

• National Kidney Disease Education Program

• Veterans Health Administration
   

Getting Involved ^ top

NDEP partners support and promote messages, campaigns, and materials and are keys to NDEP’s success in changing the way diabetes is treated. Partners work with NDEP in a variety of ways to:

• Adopt NDEP’s messages and promote them within their organization and to the communities they serve.

• Adapt and tailor messages for target audiences as appropriate.

• Disseminate information and materials to media, community organizations, and target audiences.

• Coordinate education activities and share resources with other partner organizations.

• Work with NDEP to modify the health care delivery system to improve quality and access.
   

For More Information ^ top

To learn more about NDEP or to become a partner, contact:

Joanne Gallivan, M.S., R.D.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
National Institutes of Health
Phone: (301) 496-6110
Joanne_Gallivan@nih.gov

Sabrina Harper, M.S.
Division of Diabetes Translation
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Phone: (770) 488-5034
sharper@cdc.gov

Visit NDEP’s website at www.YourDiabetesInfo.org or call 1-800-693-NDEP (6337) to obtain free diabetes materials. They may be downloaded, reproduced, and distributed without copyright restrictions.
 

*National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. National Diabetes Statistics, 2007. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, 2008. www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/

Revised July 2008

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