Faculty and students in the School of Nursing are currently conducting studies to gauge the effectiveness of programs attempting to provide aid to rural black adults with Type II diabetes, according to Sharon Utz, an associate professor in the School of Nursing.
The study is being conducted by the Central Rural Health Care Research Center at the School of Nursing, said Utz, where about 15 researchers are involved in the study to deliver "culturally tailored diabetes education to African Americans in rural communities."
The Center, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health, began the research with a descriptive study conducted mostly in 2004, said Utz. This study found many black adults in rural communities have difficulty administering self-care, said Utz.
Diabetes care is considered 90 percent self-care, "so clinicians need to help people make decisions that enhance their health & optimize quality of life," Utz added.
During the first phase of the study, which concluded in the fall, researchers held six sessions at a community center in Louisa County that addressed the barriers to self-care. Utz said sessions ranged from dealing with ways to cut the cost of care to a diabetes-friendly cooking demonstration.
While this phase only included six participants, the researchers hope to eventually expand the program to include 30 to 40 rural, black adults with Type II diabetes, Utz said.
Type II diabetes occurs mostly in adults when the body produces insulin but is unable to produce the right amount or use it properly, according to the American Diabetes Association Web site. According to Utz, 95 percent of people afflicted with diabetes have Type II and it is mostly a disease of adults.
Dory Hulse, a spokesperson for the School of Nursing, explained how this study will impact the communities involved in nearby Buckingham, Louisa and Orange Counties.
"This is part of a series of studies that relate to rural health care and health care that is available to minorities," Hulse said. "They really intersect in a number of ways. If you're living in a rural area, if you're white, black or green your access to health care is limited."
Hulse also said that while the School of Nursing has many resources in Charlottesville, there are many nearby rural communities where programs such as this can better prevent illness and educate patients.
"One of the primary roles, historically, of nursing is to prevent disease and disability," Hulse said. "It's as true now as it ever was."
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