First Nations and Inuit Health, Health Canada NAHO 2009, National Conference

1. First Nations Direction générale
and Inuit Health de la santé
des Premières nations
et des Inuits
Community Diabetes Prevention Worker Training
Atlantic Region
National Aboriginal Health Organization Conference
Ottawa, ON
November 24, 2009

2. FNIH, Atlantic Region, CDPW
• 2006 Spring – FN/Regional/HQ planning for Community
Diabetes Prevention Workers Pilot Project
• Curriculum reviewed to meet Core Competencies
• First Nations Cultural component including teachings by
Elder, First Nations site, training around 4 seasons, later
changed to 6 sessions
• Graduation celebration
 June 2007 – 9 graduates
 June 2008 – 8 graduates
 July 2008 – 8 graduates
 June 2009 – 9 graduates

3. Course Overview
• Yellowquill College, Winnipeg
• Diabetes
 Overview, signs & symptoms, types of diabetes
 Team building/changing the way you look at change
 Presentation skills
 Nutrition/healthy meals/exercise
 Family impacts
 Personal care
 Motivating a community
 Assignments/tests

4. Traditional Teachings
• Elder Josie opens and closes First Nation sessions
with smudging and prayers
• Shares traditional teachings using the Turtle
• Picking of traditional medicines and making medicine
pouches
• Shares songs and stories
• Inuit Elders also joined and shared during the Inuit
workers training

6. Learning Results
Group Completion Pre-Program Post-Program Pre-Post Average GPA Average
Mark Mark Growth Growth GPA
1 9/11 14% - 60% 56% - 76% 8% - 50% 24% 69% - 94% 83%
2 8/11 40% - 60% 64% - 82% 5% - 39% 23% 79% - 92% 83%
3 8/10 35% - 67% 70% - 92% 10% - 48% 29% 79% - 92% 85%
4 9/11 14% - 70% 66% - 86% 6% - 62% 32% 81% - 91% 86%

7. Learning Change Pre and Post Course Learning Change Pre and Post Course
Group 1 - 9 Students Group 2 - 8 Students
100 100
Pre Mark Pre Mark Min
80 80 and Max
Min and Max
60 60
Post Mark Post Mark
Min and Max Min and Max
40 40
20 20
0 0
Min Max Min Max
Learning Change Pre and Post Course Learning Change Pre and Post Course
Group 3 - 8 Students Group 4 - 9 Students
100 100
Pre Mark Min
80 Pre Mark 80 and Max
Min and Max
60 60
Post Mark
Post Mark Min and Max
40 Min and Max 40
20 20
0 0
Min Max Min Max

22. Where Do We Go From Here?
• Annual Community Health Workers Diabetes
Education Workshop
• Video Conferencing for teaching and sharing
• Chronic Disease Prevention Training Pilot
• National CDPW Continuing Education Workshop