Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Dissemination Methods

Rural programs addressing diabetes should share program results, such as outcomes, successes, and lessons learned. For example, patients, healthcare providers, pharmacists, partners, and other program stakeholders may want to learn more about program successes and lessons learned. It may also be helpful to share information more broadly — within the community, across the state, or with other jurisdictions.

Many rural programs share information through personal relationships. This includes personal relationships, both within and external to the organization. To reach the broadest audience, however, it is important to also disseminate information at the state and national level. Doing so can help other organizations learn what works.

The National Diabetes Prevention Program funded state and local health departments to implement strategies to prevent type 2 diabetes. To share success stories from their program, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services produced videos, including videos featuring people who lived in rural areas and participated in the program via telehealth.

Common dissemination methods include:

  • Seminars and workshops, including webinars
  • Policy or research briefs
  • Face-to-face meetings
  • Press releases
  • Social media
  • News media
  • Published research in academic journals

For an overview of common dissemination methods, see Methods of Dissemination in the Rural Community Health Toolkit.

Resources to Learn More

Local Health Department Use of Twitter to Disseminate Diabetes Information
Document
Discusses how local health departments are successfully using social media as a way to educate and inform their community about diabetes.
Author(s): Harris, J.K., Mueller, N.L., Snider, D., & Haire-Joshu, D.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 10, 120215
Date: 5/2013

Translating Diabetes Prevention Programs: Implications for Dissemination and Policy
Document
Commentary examines in detail a community-based translational study of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) and the implications of DPP studies for public policy.
Author(s): Katula, J.A., Blackwell, C.S., Rosenberger, E.L., & Goff, D.C.
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 72(5), 405–408
Date: 10/2011