Diabetes

Our National Academy Members

Diabetes

Sue Butkus
Cynthia F. Corbett
Stephen Setter
Robert Short

Dr. Sue Butkus is Extension Specialist and Professor for the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Washington State University. She is currently co-principal investigator for a pilot diabetes education project, the Partnership for Diabetes Awareness Education, a collaborative effort between Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard University, University of Hawaii, University of New Mexico, and the Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service, USDA. She is the current director of the Nutrition Education Network of Washington and serves on Washington’s Diabetes Control Program Advisory Board, the State Nutrition and Physical Activity Advisory Group, and the Advisory Board for the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington. Dr. Butkus received her Ph.D. from Washington State University, Independent Interdisciplinary Program, with an emphasis on food policy in 1995, an M.S. in nutrition from Ohio State University in 1969, and a B.S. in home economics from Washington State University in 1966.

Community Outreach
Sue Butkus
Diabetes Awareness Education

Sue Butkus

Dr. Sue Butkus’ work focuses on translating complex medical knowledge into culturally relevant and appropriate educational programs for use in community education programs. Although the rates of diabetes are increasing at a rapid pace nationally, the rates of diabetes are not the same for all groups. The diabetes awareness research is testing the most effective ways to reach people who are disproportionately affected by diabetes: African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos, and the poor. It is imperative that effective educational programs be designed to reach high-risk people to avoid the societal cost of uncontrolled diabetes. A 2002 survey in the state of Washington indicated that 35 percent of the 840 participants enrolled in nutrition education classes for food stamp recipients had diabetes. (Only about 6 percent of the general population in Washington report having diabetes.) Among survey participants the highest rates of diabetes were seen among Latinos and Native Americans. Although the average educational level for most of the low-income groups was 12 years or more, among the Latinos in the survey, the average educational level was less than eighth grade.

A pilot study, underway by Washington State University Cooperative Extension, has tested the effectiveness of a diabetes awareness educational program with over 500 people in eight communities. Forty-five percent of the participants are people of color and 20 percent have very low educational levels. “On the Road to Living Well with Diabetes” is an introductory diabetes awareness program that screens participants for A1c, blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol and provides an explanation of the tests. It also teaches program participants how to communicate with their health care providers. The introductory program is followed by four lessons related to foods, nutrition, physical activity, and other lifestyle issues that help support medical treatment regimes. The program has significantly increased participants’ confidence to manage their diabetes and understanding what actions to take to reduce the risk of complications. The program has proven especially successful in reducing A1c among those who are most at risk of complications. The lessons are provided in Spanish and Russian for those groups who do not speak English.

Contact Information
Dr. Sue N. Butkus, Ph.D, R.D.
Extension Specialist

Washington State University Puyallup Research and Extension Center
7612 Pioneer Way East
Puyallup, WA 98371-4998

Telephone: 253-445-4553
E-mail: butkus@wsu.edu

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