Effect of a Community-Based Diabetes Awareness Program on the Detection of Diabetes

Introduction: In Canada, family physicians are expected to screen individuals over 40 years of age every 3 years for diabetes. The CHAD (Community Health Awareness of Diabetes) Program assisted family physicians in the diabetes-screening process, by risk-stratifying patients at community pharmacy screening sessions. The paper describes the effectiveness of the program at detecting incident diabetes. Methods: Patients of family physicians were invited to attend risk-assessment sessions (diabetes risk questionnaire and capillary blood glucose tests). Results were sent to family physicians and given to attendees. The effect of the program on incident diabetes detection rates was assessed using a retrospective observational chart audit of patients in local family practices, using a before-and-after design. Results: Charts of 1030 eligible patients were audited; including 387 charts of CHAD program attendees. The diabetes incidence rate-ratio in program attendees versus non-attendees, comparing one year before-and-after CHAD’s implementation, was 1.65 (0.028/0.017), [95% CI = 0.04 61.6]. However, the difference between the rates of diabetes diagnosis for the 28 participating physicians before-and-after the program was not significantly different (p= 0.28, df = 27, [95% CI -0.09, 0.03]. Conclusion: Programs like CHAD may increase the detection of diabetes by family physicians. This may be a useful community program approach, modifiable for different communities by health-services planners.