Self-reported prevalence of diabetes and preventive health care practices among people with diabetes in South Carolina.

In conclusion, South Carolina has a higher prevalence of diabetes compared to the national average. Age is a major factor associated with increased prevalence. African Americans had a disproportionately higher prevalence of diabetes relative to white Americans in South Carolina. Compared to the standards of diabetes care recommended by the ADA, health care practice by people with diabetes and health professionals still needs to be improved. Diabetes communication programs, including diabetes education for people with diabetes and health professional education, continue to be necessary for the improvement of diabetes care.

Changes in blood cholesterol awareness: final results from the South Carolina Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Project.

We examined changes in five indicators of blood cholesterol awareness in two comparable biracial communities in South Carolina. One community received three years of cholesterol education and intervention activities implemented by a state health department and the other served as a comparison. Cross-sectional, interviewer-administered, random digit-dialed telephone surveys of 11,070 adults 18 years and older were conducted in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1991. Changes in community levels of knowledge, preventive behavior, risk awareness, and treatment were assessed and compared between the two communities with analysis of covariance techniques that adjusted for age, race, and sex. Significant increases in knowledge, behavior, and risk awareness were observed for most groups defined by race, sex, or age in both communities. Significant net intervention increases between 1987 and 1991 were seen for knowledge of good cholesterol level (+16.4%, P < .001); behavioral action of ever having blood cholesterol checked (+18.6%, P < .001); and knowledge of personal level of blood cholesterol (+16.0%, P < .01). These results suggest that a community-wide blood cholesterol screening and education program can be effective in increasing blood cholesterol knowledge, risk awareness, and preventive behavior, thus serving as part of a public health strategy to lower and treat high blood cholesterol levels in a community.

Community intervention and trends in dietary fat consumption among black and white adults.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed whether a state public health department could effectively implement an affordable nutrition intervention program at the community level. DESIGN: Cross-sectional data were collected via telephone surveys of 9,839 adults, aged 18 years or older, in 1987, 1989, and 1991 in two South Carolina communities. Nutrition education programs began in 1988 in one community. The other community served as a comparison site. We assessed and compared changes in community levels of dietary fat and weekly meat consumption, salt use, and nutrition promotion awareness with analysis of covariance regression techniques that included race, sex, and age as covariates. RESULTS: We observed favorable changes in most eating behaviors and levels of awareness in both communities. The intervention community experienced greater absolute changes that the comparison community in use of animal fats (-8.9% vs -4.0%; P = .02) and liquid or soft vegetable fats (+8.4% vs +3.6%; P = .04), and in awareness of restaurant nutrition information (+33.0% vs +19.4%; P = .0001). Although the primary type of dietary fat used differed between black and white respondents, we observed significant change among both groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that community-wide nutrition education programs may have augmented regional or national changes in dietary behavior among white and black adults in the intervention community.

Legislative Cardiovascular Health Check: a multidisciplinary health promotion experience for South Carolina lawmakers.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has conducted a Legislative Cardiovascular Health Check for the past 4 years. The primary purpose of the event, held in the lobby of the State Capitol Building, is to increase the awareness of State legislators about the leading causes of death in South Carolina and about community-based health promotion services that are available. The health check emphasizes the relationship between modifiable risk factors and the development of heart disease, cancer, and stroke. These legislative events are organized by State health department staff members, but they are conducted by local health department personnel from throughout South Carolina. This approach is intended to build the capacity of these local staff members to communicate more effectively with their legislators and to carry out similar events at the county or community level. The health check is staffed by a trained multidisciplinary team, including persons designated as legislative liaisons. The liaison people contact legislators prior to the event and provide them with health status data specific to their respective districts. The Legislative Cardiovascular Health Checks have been attended by members of the General Assembly and their staffs, members of the Governor's staff and the Lieutenant Governor's office, and other employees of the State Capitol. An average of 380 people have participated annually. Screening activities have included blood pressure and blood cholesterol checks, with risk factor counseling and educational materials provided to each screened participant. During the past year, activities were expanded to include a variety of interactive exhibits related to nutrition, exercise, and smoking. Feedback from participants has been positive. The Legislative Cardiovascular Health Check is encouraged and supported by the upper management of the State health department and is now established as an annual event of mutual benefit to legislators and to State and local health department staff members.