Project Summary: The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center (Y-G PRC) continues its focus on chronic disease prevention while expanding its emphasis to Prevention Research in the Digital Age: Public and Private Partnerships for Sustainable Impact at Scale. The Y-G PRC was founded at a time when health promotion strategies generally took place at a local level and were limited by physical space and time. During the last 20 years, there has been a tectonic shift in communications, digitally and in cyberspace, with a resulting opportunity to reach target populations using strategies and a scope that were previously unimaginable. The specific aims for the Center are to: Advance prevention research with a primary focus on addressing health disparities and preventing diabetes, obesity and cardio-metabolic disease in underserved communities; Maintain and cultivate the resources and infrastructure to support a thriving research agenda; Support one core CBPR project; Nurture and grow a network of collaborations and partnerships; Provide training and ongoing education to public health students and practitioners, medical residents, collaborators, partner organizations and communities, and staff; Effectively communicate, disseminate and translate research advances to practice, programs, and policy; and, Pursue innovative approaches to dissemination and widespread scalability through public and private sector partnerships. The Y-G PRC's primary research agenda for the upcoming 5-year cycle is to conduct an Implementation Science Research study assessing the feasibility and pathways for implementation of a virtually- delivered Diabetes Prevention Program facilitated by community health workers and hospital-based community nurses to improve behavioral and cardio-metabolic outcomes among low-income individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes. The primary study, Improving Health in Low Income Communities: Virtual Delivery of a Diabetes Prevention Program Facilitated with Community Care Coordination, will address many of the barriers that keep low-income populations from successfully participating in evidence-based lifestyle interventions. Working in two diverse low-income communities, we will apply the Program Impact Pathways and RE-AIM frameworks to assess implementation processes and evaluate implementation outcomes. Rigorous formative assessments will guide the project; clinical and behavioral changes, and cost effectiveness will be assessed. This project offers innovative approaches to understanding and addressing complex health and social conditions among our most vulnerable populations to improve health and reduce disparities nationally.

Project Narrative The successful implementation of our project will provide a roadmap for implementation of such interventions in other low-income communities in our region as well as nationally.