Research / Evaluation

Introduction:

Diabetes prevalence and mortality among Puerto Ricans in Humboldt Park is disproportionately higher than other communities in Chicago, United States and Puerto Ricans living in Puerto Rico.  Sinai’s Improving Community Health survey found that 21% of Puerto Ricans living the Humboldt Park area had ever been diagnosed with diabetes compared to 7% among all adults in Chicago.  Furthermore, the diabetes mortality rate for Puerto Ricans in Humboldt Park was twice as high as that of Chicago.  An article examining the impact of diabetes prevalence and mortality in this community, Disproportionate Impact of Diabetes in a Puerto Rican Community of Chicago, appeared in the December 2006 issue of the Journal of Community Health.

Project Plan:

When these data were shared with local community leaders, they organized the Humboldt Park Diabetes Task Force, which from June-December 2006 prepared the Diabetes in Humboldt Park: A Call to Action.  The Call to Action, officially released at a Press Conference held on December 6, 2006, offers 19 evidence-based recommendations in 5 major policy areas and seeks resources to effectively address diabetes in the Humboldt Park community.  On March 16, 2007, the Sinai Urban Health Institute supported a daylong Diabetes Health Summit aimed at raising awareness and addressing the problem of diabetes in the Humboldt Park community.   For more information about the Summit, visit www.diabeteschicago.com

Publications:

Resources:

Diabetes Summit   www.diabeteschicago.com
Puerto Rican Cultural Center   http://www.prcc-chgo.org/

Contact Information:

For more information regarding this project, please send an e-mail to Ami Shah at suhi@sinai.org

Personnel: