Assessment and Enhancement of Social and Community Resources Utilization for Disease Self- Management

Chronic diseases afflict more than 100 millionAmericans, especially older adults. Thehealth care costs associated with treatingthese diseases are staggering and almost cer-tain to increase given current patterns and demographic projections (Brownson, Remington, & Davis, 1998). Diabetes care can serve as a prototype for chronic disease management. The diabetes self-management regimen is complex, challenging, and multidimen-sional (Glasgow & Eakin, 2000; Piette & Glasgow, 2001). Different regimen behaviors need to be per-formed in sequence, and even strict compliance does not assure desired metabolic control outcomes. There is no cure for diabetes, and the future for diabetes patients is uncertain, even with the best of care. There are also many social and environmental factors that can make it difficult or embarrassing for diabetes patients to per-form activities such as insulin injections or blood glu