Evaluation of the Action Plan for the National Public Health Initiative on Diabetes and Women's Health

CDC Request for Comment - Approximately 24 million Americans have diabetes, and more than 9 million of these individuals are women. It is projected that from 2000 to 2025, women will represent more than half of all cases of diabetes in the United States.

Diabetes can have unique and profound effects on women's lives and health. For instance, diabetes is a more common cause of coronary heart disease among women than men. In addition, among people with diabetes, the prognosis of heart disease is worse for women than men, with women having poorer quality of life and lower survival rates. The burden of diabetes for women is also unique because the disease can affect mothers and their unborn children. After pregnancy, as many as 10-50% of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within five years of delivery. The offspring of women with a history of gestational diabetes are also at risk for becoming obese during childhood or adolescence, which may increase their risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

To address the burden of diabetes on women's health, the National Public Health Initiative on Diabetes and Women's Health (``The Initiative'') was established to provide support and resources for the creation and implementation of a national public health Action Plan. The Initiative is co-sponsored by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), the American Public Health Association (APHA), the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation is dedicated to the prevention and control of diabetes, and to reducing or eliminating health disparities through targeted research, programs, and partnerships.

The Initiative's Action Plan identifies gaps in diabetes-related research and programmatic activities, and strategic objectives, within the areas of: (1) Community health; (2) diabetes state programs; (3) education and community outreach; (4) quality of care; (5) research; and (6) surveillance. Co-sponsors of the Initiative and other partner organizations have been encouraged to act on the deficiencies and priorities identified in the Action Plan.

CDC proposes to conduct a survey to assess collective progress toward achieving the objectives outlined in the Action Plan. The survey will also request information about the specific strategies, steps, resources and partnerships that have been employed to meet the objectives. Respondents will be the 4 co-sponsors of The Initiative, 51 CDC-funded, state-based diabetes prevention and control programs, and approximately 230 private-sector public health organizations with a focus on diabetes and/or women's health. Survey responses will be compiled into a report and disseminated to respondents, allowing them to learn about each other's activities and the steps needed to replicate successful diabetes prevention and control efforts.