Project Description Narrative:
Disparities in the incidence and outcomes for Wisconsin Hmong and Hispanic populations warrant community-led diabetes education targeting these communities in northcentral Wisconsin.
There are more than 12,000 Southeast Asian residents in Marathon County and the adjacent counties. The city of Wausau has the highest per capita Hmong population in Wisconsin (approximately 12%). In the surrounding eight-county area, there is also a growing Hispanic population, particularly in agricultural areas, with nearly 12,000 Hispanic people, according to census data, and significant numbers have not been counted. 68% of elementary school children in one rural school district in the area are Hispanic.
This project aims to improve health and well-being in central Wisconsin Hmong and Hispanic people with diabetes and facilitate access to primary care provider teams for high-quality diabetes care and ongoing diabetes self-management tools. These aims can then be expanded to address other chronic diseases. Additionally, working to decrease barriers and social determinants that impact health literacy and access to health information and healthcare contributes further to advancing health equity.
Community partners: Aging and Disability Resource Center, Marshfield Clinic Health System, St. Bernard Catholic Church in Abbotsford, Wausau Free Clinic, Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Services