Cross-Program Collaboration Strengthens Chronic Disease Efforts in New York

At A Glance

In 2016, the New York State Arthritis Program (NYS AP) worked with other chronic disease programs to identify barriers to delivering evidence-based interventions, or lifestyle management programs, that can improve quality of life for adults with arthritis. Participants from 25 organizations came up with recommendations and ranked them by importance and feasibility. The most popular recommendation was program marketing materials, which NYS AP created. These materials, published in September 2018, were accessed 500 times in the first six months.

By Celeste Roeller Harp

Public Health Challenge

In New York, nearly 40% of adults have at least one chronic disease. Arthritis is most common, affecting 24% of New York adults. In addition, 54.5% of adults with two or more chronic diseases have arthritis. People with multiple chronic conditions are more likely to report poor health and activity limitations. Evidence-based programs—like self-management education program, the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP), and physical activity programs like EnhanceFitness —can improve health and quality of life for people with arthritis or other chronic conditions. However, participation in these programs is often limited, which may be because few people are aware of their availability and health benefits.

Approach

To support organizations in their delivery of programs addressing many chronic diseases, including arthritis, and to strengthen chronic disease prevention and management, the NYS AP brought partners together to discuss barriers to delivery and identify how the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) could help. In total, 32 staff from 25 organizations participated. Participants made 53 recommendations, which they sorted, voted on, and ranked by importance and feasibility. They identified the need for publicly available, standardized marketing materials available in both English and Spanish that could be used to promote a variety of chronic disease prevent and management programs.

"Working across public health programs and among common partners and stakeholders creates valuable efficiencies and maximizes impact in shared public health efforts."
- Sue M. Manager, LCSW, MPH, Diabetes/Community-Clinical Links, NYSDOH

Results

The NYS AP created a package of customizable marketing materials in collaboration with program delivery partners and other state chronic disease programs to promote the CDSMP, Diabetes Self-Management Education Program, National DPP, and EnhanceFitness. The NYSDOH Bureau of Marketing and Creative Communications designed the materials, which include lifestyle management program fact sheets, flyers, and social media messaging, available in both English and Spanish, with corresponding guidance documents. From September 2018 to February 2019, the documents were viewed or downloaded 500 times.

What's Next

Because the marketing materials are customizable, they allow delivery partners to tailor promotion efforts and market multiple course offerings and types. Continued support is available for any marketing material technical assistance needed by the NYS AP and other chronic disease program staff. Collaboration between state chronic disease programs will continue as a means of leveraging resources and opportunities to support local chronic disease efforts.

Find Out More

Organizations delivering lifestyle management programs can use NYS AP’s customizable marketing materials to promote them. Please visit https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/conditions/arthritis/programs.htm to download the materials, or email ebsmp@health.ny.gov to learn more!This project was supported by CDC cooperative agreement DP12-1210, State Public Health Approaches to Improving Arthritis Outcomes, and continues with DP18-1803, State Public Health Approaches to Addressing Arthritis.

Contact

Celeste Roeller Harp
New York State Department of Health
150 Broadway
Suite 350
Albany, NY 12204
Phone: 518-408-5150
Fax: 518-474-3356

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Web site

http://nccd.cdc.gov/nccdsuccessstories/

CDC-INFO

https://wwwn.cdc.gov/dcs/ContactUs/Form

The findings and conclusions in this success story are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the funding agencies or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).