The South Asian Diabetes Prevention Program was developed to address the high risk of diabetes in South Asian communities through early detection clinics, educational workshops, and referral services. The program team conducts screenings and provides culturally-relevant resources, such as Canada's first South Asian Diabetes Prevention Care Kit, to help prevent and manage diabetes. In 2010-11, the program conducted 79 clinics and workshops attended by 1430 participants.

2. South Asian Diabetes Prevention Program
BACKGROUND
Diabetes and the resulting complications are significant causes of morbidity and mortality. The
literature on diabetes in the South Asian population clearly states the high-risk status of this
group, which is primarily attributable to genetics, lifestyle risk factors, and the stress related to
migration. South Asians are 4-6 times more likely to develop diabetes than the general
population; incidence of diabetes is 14% versus 5.2% in general population. However, these
communities commonly experience challenges accessing healthcare services due to language and
cultural barriers. Thus, the overall goal of the South Asian Diabetes Prevention Program is to
enhance equitable access to diabetes prevention and management services, as well as, provide
culturally-relevant educational resources for South Asian communities within the Flemingdon
Health Centre’s catchment area.
PROGRAM PROFILE
The South Asian Diabetes Prevention Program (SADPP) is an innovative project developed by
Flemingdon Health Centre (FHC) in collaboration with Social Services Network and is funded
by the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (TC LHIN) through the Aging at
Home funding.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Early Detection Clinics
The program outreaches and conducts Diabetes early-detection clinics in the community using
evidence based screening tool tailored for the South Asians risk factors: A first-step check-up to
identify those who are at risk of developing diabetes. The same day a prediabetes awareness
workshop is delivered.
Educational Workshops
Participants learn how to make lifestyle changes that are necessary to prevent diabetes.
Participants are provided with the newly developed Diabetes Prevention Care Kit to further
enhance their self management skills and information
Referral Services:
Those identified through our screening process to be at-risk of developing diabetes are referred
to their family physician to complete the Second-Step check up and confirm if they are at high
risk (prediabetes diagnosis). Those already living with diabetes are referred to management
programs.
Objectives:
 Identify those who are at risk of developing Diabetes through early-detection clinics
 To raise awareness about diabetes in the South Asian communities
 To enhance knowledge and skills around healthy lifestyle modifications and diabetes
prevention
 Connecting communities to health providers, programs and organizations
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3. PROGRAM TEAM
A multidisciplinary team part of the Health Promotion Department at Flemingdon Health Centre:
 Registered Nurse
 Registered Dietitian
 Two Outreach Workers
 A pool of Outreach Animators with various language skills
 A pool of dedicated Volunteers
 Project Coordinator
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
A Busy 2010-11
The demand from the community for this program continues to grow. During 2010-11, the
mostly part-time team conducted a combined 79 clinics and workshops during the year, attended
by 1430 participants.
Canada’s first-ever South Asian Diabetes Prevention Care Kit
Once SADPP was created, a need was felt to develop a culturally and linguistically relevant
diabetes prevention resource care kit tailored for the South Asian communities. This kit would be
used to further enhance knowledge, raise awareness, and build skills around healthy lifestyle
modifications to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
After conducting an environment scan of services and resources available, it was determined that
very few or no culturally relevant resources and supports for diabetes prevention exist for the
South Asian communities. While there are a number of translated resources that exist, there are
no resources that incorporate the social determinants of health and address Prediabetes for the
South Asian communities. The Care Kit was created to bridge the perceivable gap between
resources and supports tailored to a Westernized culture to one that is culturally and
linguistically relevant for South Asian communities. This kit will be provided at no cost to
participants that attend SADPP early-detection clinics and workshop sessions in the community
beginning August 2011.
Kit Contents:
1. A Bilingual Handbook (English/Urdu & English/Tamil)
2. A Video that follows a family through the South Asian Diabetes Prevention Program and
the changes they learn to make to their lifestyles to prevent diabetes
3. Additional translated resources
4. Interactive tools that are companions to the three areas of lifestyle modification
a. Measuring Spoons (Healthy Eating)
b. Pedometer (Physical Activity)
c. Measuring Tape
d. Stress Ball (Mental Health)
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