Clemson Extension diabetes education program goes virtual

Clemson University has expanded its Health Extension for Diabetes program to include virtual education sessions accessible by anyone from anywhere.

Know Diabetes By Heart are free, 1-hour online educational sessions designed and hosted by the Clemson Rural Health and Nutrition Extension Program team and sponsored by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and American Heart Association. Faculty and doctoral students in Clemson’s Department of Public Health Sciences provide research evaluation support for the program.

These hour-long sessions help participants better understand the link between diabetes and heart disease and learn more about risks associated with the medical conditions. The sessions also connect participants with community and clinical resources needed to help control these risks. 

Multiple sessions are scheduled to take place throughout the year, including eight sessions available in April and May. More sessions will be available each month through December. Visit https://knowdiabetesbyheart.eventbrite.com to register or contact Danielle McFall, Clemson Health Extension agent for Greenville County, at dem@clemson.edu for more information.

The diabetes programs developed by faculty at Clemson University in partnership with clinicians at Prisma Health Upstate are now widely available through online offerings. 

“Health Extension Agents are trusted members of the community and serve to educate South Carolinians for improved health outcomes in the state. Agents also serve as a bridge, bringing together community members, Clemson topic experts and the local health system for an innovative and holistic approach to health care,” said Michelle Parisi, director of Nutrition and Health Extension Programs.

“This program is one of Clemson’s pioneering initiatives in health outreach, and we are pleased to partner with the ADA to provide access to these services to more communities with an evidence-based, client-focused curriculum,” said project co-investigator Windsor Westbrook Sherrill, Clemson’s Associate Vice President for Health Research and a professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences in the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences.

The Health Extension for Diabetes program is an ADA-recognized program and is listed on the ADA Diabetes Support Directory, a free online tool that helps connect communities to qualified ADA-recognized support programs. Inclusion in the directory assures diabetes program curricula, such as Clemson Extension’s, meet strict criteria for education and support programming, align with the Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes and demonstrate significant positive health outcomes. Programs in the directory must also have evidence demonstrating their impact, which includes participants’ development of coping skills and behaviors to self-manage diabetes on an ongoing basis.

The Know Diabetes by Heart virtual sessions are one of the many ways that Clemson Extension has made educational resources available during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The Health Extension for Diabetes program began two years ago with Healthy Greenville program funding from the Greenville Health Authority board of trustees. Co-led by the Clemson University Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson Cooperative Extension Service and Prisma Health-Upstate, the initiative’s goal is to reduce incidences and complications of diabetes and improve the health status of Greenville County.

The Know Diabetes by Heart program is funded through a grant from the American Diabetes Association and is led by a multidisciplinary team at Clemson University and Prisma Health-Upstate.

Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.