The Tohono O'odham Nation is a federally recognized tribe located in southern Arizona with a land base of 2.8 million acres. The reservation runs roughly seventy-five (75) miles along the United States/Mexico International border to the South, Tucson to East, Ajo to West and Casa Grande to the North. Located in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, the Tohono O'odham Nation consists of mountainous, desert terrain, with a hot, dry climate. The Tohono O'odham Nation's Healthy O'odham Promotion Program (HOPP) has been providing community-based diabetes prevention and management services to the Nation's 30,000+ tribal members since 1999. The prevention of diabetes has been a top health priority of the Tohono O'odham Nation for the past 23 years. HOPP utilizes the best practice of Diabetes Related Education and provides these services to community members across the reservation with a variety of services and activities that include nutrition education and physical activities.
The project has assessed and identified 3 areas of improvement for tribal members diagnosed with diabetes: 1)Body Mass Index (Obese (BMI ≥ 30.0), 2)Blood Sugar Control (A1C > 7.0), 3) Diabetes-Related Education (Physical Activity. The Healthy O'odham Promotion Program will utilized the relationships and collaborations it has formed over the past 23 years, along with 23 staff, including 17 Health Education Specialist, 1 Medical Services Supervisor, and 5 administrative support staff to provide diabetes-related education services to the community. The Tohono O'odham Nation is requesting $2,241,130 for the first year of the five-year SDPI funding cycle to continue and improve services for tribal member under the best practice of diabetes-related education.
The Health O'odham Promotion Program has planned several major activities for 2023 to improve the Required Key Measure for a target group of 800 Tohono O'odham adults (ages 18-65) at risk for diabetes. The following activities will take place throughout the year: Diabetes Health Fair, Jewed da:m ac Wa:po (Run Across the Land) Series, Group and individual physical fitness (weight training, Zumba, cardiovascular, Spin, Step Aerobics, Tai Chi, etc.), Traditional and Modern Food Demonstrations, Mobile Wellness Center events, and Nutrition Education. In addition to these activities and services directly related to the target group, HOPP will utilize SDPI funds to provide diabetes related education to youth by utilizing two evidence-based curriculums: Diabetes Education in Tribal Schools and Family Spirit. As the majority of the Nation’s workforce are also tribal member, the Healthy O’odham Promotion Program will also support the Tohono O’odham Nation’s Employee Apedag (Wellness) Program to improve the health and wellbeing of the Nation’s employees.
The Special Diabetes Program for Indians has been a vital component for the Tohono O’odham Nation in the fight against Type 2 diabetes. The Healthy O’odham Promotion Program is well known across the Tohono O’odham Nation for the variety of diabetes related education services it provides to community members. The Healthy O’odham Promotion Program is building off the programs 23 years of experience, as well as, implementing new services to continue to reduce the prevalence and impact diabetes has on Tohono O’odham tribal members.
