The Potential Positive Impact of Lifestyle Coaches
Lifestyle coaches are an essential part of the CDC’s
Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). And while the CDC
places an emphasis on getting community
organizations to offer the DPP, the program can also
be implemented in a primary care setting. Since
lifestyle coaches facilitate the DPP in the setting,
lifestyle coaches become part of the setting. And in
one study, researchers in the Netherlands found that
lifestyle coaches can be quite useful in a health
care setting.
The DPP is a CDC program that was put in place to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes via weight loss, physical activity, a healthy diet, and lifestyle modification. The program is a year-long program. The first six months consist of sixteen core sessions, where a lifestyle coach facilitates group learning. Through group interaction, the participants learn to eat healthy, engage in physical activity, reduce stress, and change behavior to improve health. And the last six months of the year-long program consist of at least six core maintenance sessions where topics from the first six months are reinforced.
In the above mentioned Netherlands study, the investigators set out to evaluate the implementation of lifestyle coaches in a health care setting. The investigators called the lifestyle coaches program “coaching on lifestyle” or CooL. The investigators indicated that "Lifestyle coaches play a crucial role in ensuring the impact of CooL by actively networking, using clear communication materials and creating stakeholders’ support and understanding."
But the investigators also concluded that “the dissemination process of CooL still needs to be improved further." And that "It will take time before the lifestyle coaches have become accepted as valuable professionals who bridge the gap between the public health sector and health care settings.”
The CDC is trying to bridge the gap between the public health sector and health care settings in the U.S. with its DPP. The CDC quality-assures organization in the DPP via its recognition program. And primary care organizations are advised to send their patients to DPP recognized organizations in a health care setting or in a community setting. Hopefully, the CDC will succeed at bridging the gap between the public health sector and healthcare settings in the U.S. This could improve health and lower health care cost.
The DPP is a CDC program that was put in place to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes via weight loss, physical activity, a healthy diet, and lifestyle modification. The program is a year-long program. The first six months consist of sixteen core sessions, where a lifestyle coach facilitates group learning. Through group interaction, the participants learn to eat healthy, engage in physical activity, reduce stress, and change behavior to improve health. And the last six months of the year-long program consist of at least six core maintenance sessions where topics from the first six months are reinforced.
In the above mentioned Netherlands study, the investigators set out to evaluate the implementation of lifestyle coaches in a health care setting. The investigators called the lifestyle coaches program “coaching on lifestyle” or CooL. The investigators indicated that "Lifestyle coaches play a crucial role in ensuring the impact of CooL by actively networking, using clear communication materials and creating stakeholders’ support and understanding."
But the investigators also concluded that “the dissemination process of CooL still needs to be improved further." And that "It will take time before the lifestyle coaches have become accepted as valuable professionals who bridge the gap between the public health sector and health care settings.”
The CDC is trying to bridge the gap between the public health sector and health care settings in the U.S. with its DPP. The CDC quality-assures organization in the DPP via its recognition program. And primary care organizations are advised to send their patients to DPP recognized organizations in a health care setting or in a community setting. Hopefully, the CDC will succeed at bridging the gap between the public health sector and healthcare settings in the U.S. This could improve health and lower health care cost.
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posted by Information Uncover at
1:01 PM
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