CHIP joins CDC-Funded Chicago Cares Collaboration to Combat Diabetes

We are proud to announce that the Center for Health Information Partnerships (CHIP) will be joining a city-wide collaboration between the Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI), the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), and community partners that will focus on improving the city’s diabetes outcomes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is awarding the multisector effort, called the Chicago Collaboration to Advance Reach, Equity, and Systems (Chicago CARES), $6 million over a five year period.

In Chicago, diabetes is a leading cause of death and disability. Nine percent of the city’s adults have been diagnosed with diabetes, and rates of obesity, which is closely linked with type 2 diabetes, are twice as high (35%) as national rates. In Chicago’s communities, there are significant racial and ethnic disparities in terms of diabetes burden. For example, in Chicago, non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics are twice as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites.

In addition to racial and ethnic disparities, strong socioeconomic disparities exist in the city’s diabetes outcomes. A strong relationship has been observed between obesity and poverty levels, as the obesity rate among those living below the federal poverty line was almost twice that of those with the highest incomes. Evidence indicates that a combination of socioeconomic realities and unequal access to health services is a driver of these disparities.

Chicago CARES will focus on areas of the city that have a disproportionate diabetes burden and lack sufficient preventive services. Its strategies include training and supporting healthcare safety net providers and community health workers, and conducting robust, tailored grassroots campaigns to build awareness about diabetes prevention programs.

CHIP’s Chicago Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (CHITREC) and Great Lakes Practice Transformation Network (GLPTN) program will be participating in the collaboration, and will contribute expertise in health IT, practice transformation, and Medicaid managed care. Other partners include safety net health care providers, community health workers, and nationally recognized diabetes prevention researchers.

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References:

“Measuring Chicago’s Health: Findings from the 2014 Healthy Chicago Survey.” Chicago Department of Public Health. 2015.