HealthMark Multimedia in the News:

For Immediate Release

Contact: Susan Brink, Principal
HealthMark Multimedia, LLC
PH: 202-448-6150, Ext. 201
Email:

CD-ROM to Help African-American Women Control Type 2 Diabetes

Development funded with a contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Washington, DC, December 2003 - Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, contributing to more than 200,000 deaths annually. Approximately one in four African-American women over the age of 55 has the disease. This is nearly twice the rate of white women. To address this disease and decrease the disparity, Healthmark Multimedia was awarded a contract in September from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop a CD- ROM for African-American women. The CD-ROM will educate and encourage women to practice self-management for effective control of their diabetes.

The design of the CD-ROM is slated to include individual application and interactive media support for African-American women. Interactive media has been shown as a highly effective tool for changing behavior. Personal stories will be showcased for women to reflect on and discover new strategies to create their own plan for self-management. Meal planning, blood glucose testing, medical care, exercise and diet will be included as featured topics.

The project reflects the cultural diversity of African Americans. A Patient and Professional Advisory Board made up of African-American women with type 2 diabetes, representatives from faith-based organizations are providing feedback, wisdom and guidance about the development of the CD-ROM. The Patient and Professional Advisory Board has suggested that emphasis should be placed on using tools reflecting African-American culture and tradition in order to develop self-efficacy to manage diabetes.

The aim of the CD-ROM is to draw on the resources that women have through community support (churches, library education, health centers, etc.) to disseminate diabetes information. The CD-ROM will be field-tested in partnership with the Diabetes for Life Center, an outreach effort of MedStar Research Institute at the Martin Luther King Public Library in Washington, DC. Participants will test the CD-ROM after completing a five-hour introductory course at the Diabetes for Life Center. MedStar is a not-for-profit, community-based health care organization.

Funding for the CD-ROM was provided through a contract from the CDC's Small Business Innovation Research Program.