The Diabetes Attitudes, Wishes, and Needs (DAWN) Program: A New Approach to Improving Outcomes of Diabetes Care

• DOI: 10.2337/diaspect.18.3.136
• Publication Date: 2007-03-03T10:19:40Z
• Authors: Soren E. Skovlund; Mark Peyrot
• Keywords: Diabetes management; Disease management

The Diabetes Attitudes, Wishes, and Needs (DAWN) program is an international partnership effort to improve outcomes of diabetes care by increasing the focus on person behind disease, especially psychosocial behavioral barriers effective management. DAWN was initiated survey > 5,000 people with almost 4,000 providers. has facilitated a number concrete initiatives address gaps in identified study.

Diabetes one major world health problems. Recent estimates from World Health Organization predict that if current trends continue, will more than double, 176 370 million 2030.1 already single most costly problem Westernized countries. Among those diagnosed at least half still do not achieve satisfactory glycemic control, despite availability treatments.2 As consequence, millions are elevated risk suffering needlessly serious complications disease. With growing diabetes, there urgent need find better ways curbing human economic burden this chronic progressive through prevention, detection, treatment. A review literature suggests several important areas have potential these problems.

Suboptimal self-management been studies as possible causes poor general practice.3,4 multitude research studies, mainly Western relatively small patient samples, indicated importance psychological, social, factors for self-management.5,6Access patient-centered support education …