Globally, 425 million people have diabetes, with a prevalence rate of 8.4 percent. In the three target neighborhoods in Indianapolis, an estimated 10,000 people live with diabetes, and prevalence rates are as high as 17.5 percent.

“Despite all our strengths and assets, Indiana ranks 38th among states for overall health status,” said Dave A. Ricks, Lilly chairman and CEO. “Through this effort, we are applying what we’ve learned from our global health work in underserved communities around the world with the expertise of our local partners and the passion of the people living in these neighborhoods. Together we’re going to find new solutions for closing these health disparity gaps.”

Lilly and Indiana University’s Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI are implementing the pilot with Eskenazi Health, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Indianapolis (LISC) and the Marion County Public Health Department. Borrowing from Lilly’s global health efforts, the pilot will deploy a model that uses newly hired community health care workers to help identify people with diabetes and connect them with quality care. In addition, community members will help identify and propose solutions for cultural, social, environmental, economic and policy barriers that increase the risk for diabetes, such as the lack of healthy food options and public spaces for exercise.

“This cross-sector, community-focused partnership lies at the heart of our mission to translate research into solutions that improve lives,” said Nasser H. Paydar, Chancellor of IUPUI. “By investing in the fabric of these three Indianapolis communities through diabetes prevention and management, we will be working to improve health outcomes in Indiana and hopefully beyond.”

Lilly and its partners are testing the hypothesis that the implementation of a multi-pronged community health worker model will reduce complications for those with diabetes and reduce risk factors for people at high risk of developing diabetes by:

• Increasing screening-seeking behavior for those at high risk
• Improving access and continuity of care for people with diabetes
• Fostering a physical and social environment that supports diabetes control and prevention, such as better access to healthy food and exercise options.

The pilot uses Lilly’s global health framework, which includes studying key research questions, reporting what works and what doesn’t, and then using the data to advocate for the scale up of the most effective solutions. The program will contribute to Lilly 30x30, the company’s goal to create new access to quality health care for 30 million people in underserved communities every year by 2030.

The pilot has the potential for adoption by the Eskenazi Health system in Indiana, as well as other communities and health systems across the U.S. It also directly supports the newly signed Indiana bill that requires the development of a statewide strategic action plan to significantly reduce the prevalence of diabetes.

“Eskenazi Health has neighborhood health centers in each of these communities,” said Dawn Haut, M.D., a pediatrician and CEO of Eskenazi Health Center, the primary care division of Eskenazi Health. “We’re eager to deepen our partnership with the residents of these neighborhoods to improve education about diabetes and to connect people to the care they need. We think this approach has broad application across our entire Eskenazi Health system.”

“I worked hard to pass the new Indiana diabetes legislation because I do not want the next generation of kids to grow up in a food desert with no healthy choices at our markets and too little information about diabetes,” said Indiana State Representative Vanessa Summers. “This is the type of public-private-community collaboration we need to address complex challenges like diabetes.”

People living in the three Indianapolis communities can sign up to receive information about the diabetes pilot by visiting diabetes.iupui.edu.

About Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly is a global health care leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com and www.lilly.com/newsroom/social-channels. CR-LLY

About IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI
Committed to advancing the public’s health and well-being through education, innovation and leadership, the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health is known for its expertise in biostatistics, epidemiology, cancer research, community health, environmental public health, health policy and health administration. As Indiana’s premier urban research and health sciences institution, IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) is home to over 30,000 students and offers more than 300 Indiana University and Purdue University undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. IUPUI is dedicated to advancing the intellectual growth of Indiana through research and creative activity, teaching, learning, and community engagement.

David Marbaugh; Lilly; [email protected]; 317-489-7109
Amanda Briggs, IU Fairbanks; [email protected]; (317) 278-0386
Todd Harper; Eskenazi Health; [email protected];
317-402-9327