Project Aim
Aim of this research project is to focus on application of multilevel approaches, identification of elements of the system, ways the elements interact and work together and the potential impact it has on the prevalence of diabetes in 10 municipalities of region South Denmark.
Background
Chronic diseases are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity, and research suggests that complex conditions such as diabetes will impose an even larger burden in the future. What chronic diseases have in common is that they need a long-term and complex response, coordinated by health professionals including health promotion measures to keep people healthy, disease prevention measures to minimize existing hazards, and health care focusing on secondary and tertiary prevention to alleviate consequences of disease. Given this background, the management of diabetes is increasingly considered an important issue by policy-makers and researchers. Policy-makers are searching for interventions and strategies to tackle this. Concerted and coordinated effort is required to prevent diabetes and minimize its consequences upon levels ranging from patients to community to government. To achieve a sustainable change in prevalence and distribution of diabetes all levels including clinical and community level needs to be addressed. Working from a multilevel approach perspective operating at several levels of the health care system is necessary.
Research questions
1. What are the differences in diabetes prevalence in municipalities of Region South Denmark and can they be linked to differences in public health and health care work offered to citizens?
2. How is the multilevel approach applied in municipalities in Region South Denmark and which potential impact does it have on the prevalence of diabetes?
3. How do diabetes patients understand knowledge about diabetes and diabetes prevention and efforts to modify healthy lifestyle including use of offered health promotion and diabetes prevention interventions?
Methods
To get information on the micro level, structured interviews with community health workers and medical staff members at the hospitals and GP’s in 10 selected municipalities will be conducted. On the meso level, reviews on community based activities and education will be studied. Data will be gathered from interviews with community health workers and health directors. Qualitative research methods will be employed; documentation analysis and 10 focus groups interviews will be conducted with health workers (including GP’s, municipal health consultants, social care, regional health workers etc.). One focus group interview per municipality with diabetes patients will be conducted to gather information on knowledge about diabetes and diabetes prevention.
Supervisors:
Gabriel Gulis, SDU, IST, Unit for Health Promotion Research
Jens Søndergaard, SDU, IST, Research unit of General Practice
Time frame
1 February 2014 – 31 January 2018 (Defence to place in Esbjerg on 15 May 2023)