Rural health care services outreach grant program - the western oklahoma wellness (WOW) consortium, led by the oklahoma foundation for medical quality (ofmq), seeks to implement an adolescent diabetes…

Rural health care services outreach grant program - the western oklahoma wellness (WOW) consortium, led by the oklahoma foundation for medical quality (ofmq), seeks to implement an adolescent diabetes prevention program in rural communities across western oklahoma. The oklahoma adolescent diabetes prevention program (oadpp) aims to address the unmet need for lifestyle change intervention for adolescents in grades 9 through 12 to assist in managing and preventing adolescent obesity, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes. Our goal is to improve biometric markers in 30% of participants with baseline elevations in body mass index (BMI) percentage or hemoglobin A1C levels over the next four years. The oadpp will provide free preventive health services for students and school faculty through three screening events within the academic year to evaluate changes in biometric markers. In addition to screening services, nurse educators will administer six wellness educational sessions per academic year, focused on nutrition and physical activity. Participants will receive weekly text messages to support educational sessions that include tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. By engaging stakeholders from the community and imbedding the program within the public school system, the oadpp will provide affordable education and support for sustainable healthy behaviors that will positively impact population health.