Peers for Progress Newsletter Archive - July 31 2012 Newsletter Copy

Peers for Progress Summer e-News

July 31, 2012

Advancing e- Strategy to Promote Peer Support

Facilitating virtual learning and interactions has been a key strategy of Peers for Progress to promote peer support around the world. Coinciding with the shift to an integrated e-strategy, we recently launched a new website ( www.peersforprogress.org) and also made a concerted effort to increase our social media presence. In this issue, we are featuring our recent effort and lessons learned in social media, as well as sharing some resources to help programs adopt such tools.

Program Spotlight

Piloting Dissemination and Advocacy of Peer Support through Social Media
Social media tools provide opportunities to advance dissemination and advocacy of peer support. However, peer support programs and organizations can benefit from understanding how to use these tools in order to produce intended impact. This article highlights Peers for Progress’ recent effort piloting social media strategies, as well as shares initial lessons learned. [ Read more]

Program Resources

Peers for Progress New Website
Check out the new look and important new utilities of the new Peers for Progress website. In addition to various integrations of social media tools, the site has new sections under Tools & Training dedicated to Spanish materials, Chinese materials, and also primary care resources. [ Read more]

CDC Social Media Tools, Guidelines & Best Practices
This page on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website aggregates CDC’s guidelines to assist in the planning, development and implementation of social media activities. [ Read more]

The Community Tool Box’s Section on Using Social Media for Digital Advocacy
This new section at the Community Tool Box website provides a guide for developing a simple, integrated plan for using social media. It offers tips on how to not only use social media, but use it effectively and efficiently. [ Read more]

Peer for Progress Network Contributions at 2012 SBM
This document summarizes all the presentations by the Peers for Progress Network at the 2012 annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM). Topics include:
- A seminar on peer supporter training, ensuring competencies, and intervention tracking by Tang et al.
- A symposium on implementation differences and underlying commonalities of peer support by Oldenburg et al.
- A symposium on impacts of "organizational home" on sustainability of peer support programs by Boothroyd et al.
Click here to review the content and access the presentation slides.

Research Briefs

Systematic Review of Peer Support and Diabetes

A recent systematic review by Dale and colleagues examined the evidence for peer support programs in adults living with diabetes. Twenty five studies met the inclusion criteria for the review including 14 randomized control trials. Peer support was associated with statistically significant improvements in glycaemic control, blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI/weight, physical activity, self-efficacy, depression and perceived social support. The authors concluded that peer support appears to benefit some adults living with diabetes, but the evidence is too limited and inconsistent to support firm recommendations. (Diabetics Medicine; July 2012) [ Full abstract]

Feasibility of Church-Based Peer Led Diabetes Prevention Program

A recent article by Tang and colleagues examined the feasibility of implementing a Peer Lifestyle Coach (PLC) based training program for a church based diabetes prevention program. PLCs attended one 8 hour training session with a certified diabetes educator and bi-weekly emails for 3 months prior to the start of the intervention. The participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the length of training, balance between content and skills development, and preparation for leading group- and individual-based support activities. (Diabetes Educator; May 2012) [ Full abstract]

Systematic Review of Peer Support and Breastfeeding
Kaunonen and colleagues completed a systematic review to describe peer support interventions in Europe, North America, Australia or New Zealand supporting breastfeeding during pregnancy and the postnatal period. Individual support and education were most frequently used during pregnancy, hospitalization and the postnatal period. The authors concluded that only continuous breastfeeding support produces effective results and the role of peer support is most important during the postnatal period. (Journal of Clinical Nursing; July 2012) [ Full abstract]

Peer Education for Secondary Stroke Prevention in Inner-City Minorities
Goldfinger and colleagues describe a New York based stoke prevention program based on peer-led community based support. The program is called Prevent Recurrence of All Inner-city Strokes through Education (PRAISE) and has enrolled 582 stroke survivors to receive the program. Curriculum was developed through focus groups of stroke survivors and using the Stanford Patient Education Research Center Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. Participants randomized to the PRAISE intervention are scheduled to attend weekly peer-led workshops for six consecutive weeks, in ninety minute sessions. (Contemporary Clinical Trials; June 2012 [ Full abstract]

Pedometry and Peer Support in Older Chinese Adults
A recent article by Thomas and colleagues looked at the role pedometers and having a motivational buddy may have on fitness levels of an older (> 60 years old) Chinese population. As part of a 2 × 2 factorial design 399 participants were assigned to have a pedometer, a buddy, a pedometer and a buddy or neither. While both a pedometer and a buddy increased physical activities levels, having a buddy also increased physical fitness including reduced body fat. (Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise; June 2012) [ Full abstract]

Funding Opportunities

Ittleson Foundation Mental Health Grants

DEADLINE: September 1, 2012
The Ittleson Foundation is interested in innovative, pilot, model, and demonstration projects that are fighting the stigma associated with mental illness and working to change the public's negative perception of people who have mental illness; utilize new knowledge and current technological advances to improve programs and services for people who have mental illness; bring the full benefits of this new knowledge and technology to those who presently do not have access to them; and advance preventative mental health efforts, especially those targeted to youth and adolescents, with a special focus on strategies that involve parents, teachers, and others in close contact with these populations. [ More info]

2013-14 Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development Funds from UK Department of Health

DEADLINE: September 7, 2012 at noon(registration)
The Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development Fund (IESD) provides funding to support proposals in the health and care field, supporting projects with the potential for national impact in line with DH objectives of better health and wellbeing and better care for all. Applicants are invited to submit proposals to develop new, innovative approaches to health and care, actively share excellent practice or improve integrated care and efficiency. [ More info]

Behavioral Interventions to Address Multiple Chronic Health Conditions in Primary Care

DEADLINE: October 5, 2012
This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) seeks Research Project Grant (R01) applications that propose to use a common conceptual model to develop behavioral interventions to modify health behaviors and improve health outcomes in patients with comorbid chronic diseases and health conditions. Specifically, this FOA will support research in primary care that uses a multi-disease care management approach to behavioral interventions with high potential impact to improve patient-level health outcomes for individuals with three or more chronic health conditions. Diseases and health conditions can include, but are not limited to: mental health disorders (e.g., depression), diabetes, smoking, obesity, chronic pain, alcohol and substance abuse and dependence, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, cancer and hypertension. [ More info]

More opportunities can be found on the Peers for Progress website - Funding Opportunities page.

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