The Dubach Health Outreach Project is a three year health outreach grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services to provide health screenings and intervention to reduce the risk factors for heart disease and diabetes in Dubach, LA.  The project will run from Summer 2005-Summer 2008.

Problem

The purpose of DUHOP is to reduce obesity and related chronic diseases in Dubach and the surrounding communities.  Obesity in rural communities of Louisiana is at epidemic proportions. In the year 2000, the Pennington Biomedical Research Group stated that the annual cost of obesity in Louisiana was a staggering $13 billion. In addition, 48% of total paid Medicaid claims in Louisiana could be attributed to the high-risk behaviors of smoking, sedentary lifestyle and high fat diets.

Project Goals

• Goal 1: To identify persons at risk for obesity and related chronic diseases.
• Goal 2: To encourage the adoption of heart-healthy eating patterns and physical activity habits in the community that will help prevent or reduce the prevalence of obesity and related cardiovascular disease risk factors among pre-adolescents, adolescents, and adults.
• Goal 3: To reduce the prevalence of elevated blood cholesterol, hyperglycemia, and hypertension in the target populations of pre-adolescents to adults in the town of Dubach and the neighboring communities, and thereby contribute to reducing cardiovascular related morbidity and mortality.
• Goal 4: To develop a comprehensive and culturally sensitive health education program to increase the family’s knowledge of obesity and related disorders through an intensive community and school based health literacy program. 
• Goal 5: To develop a referral system for the participants with identified diagnoses to be treated in Lincoln Parish and educate them on their eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid
  
  
  
  In addition, the project has the goal of sustaining progress made through this grant by developing a Community Health Education Research Center (CHERC) to be housed at the LA Tech University Center for Rural Development
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Population to be Served

The project will serve two populations

• Pre-teens and teens at Dubach High School who are both at risk for chronic diseases related to obesity, and who are overweight.  With this group we will conduct inital and follow-up health screenings, health education sessions, group and individual behavior modification counseling, increased physical activity, and nutritional assessment and counseling.
• The adult population (over 18) in Dubach and the surrounding rural area. This population will also recieve inital and follow up health screenings.  We will establish community-based mentoring groups to encourage increased physical activity as well as providing nutrition counseling and behavior modification sessions.