Colorado Center for Diabetes Translation Research (CO-CDTR)

Center Overview: Project Summary American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) are at substantial risk of diabetes. They exhibit rates of diabetes often greater than other citizens; they suffer serious, debilitating complications thereof; a disproportionate share of their scarce health care resources are consumed by a small percentage of patients with diabetes. A growing body of knowledge about evidence-based policies, programs and practices promises to redress these disparities. The Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Diabetes Translation Research: 1) Provides an administrative structure that promotes diabetes-related translational research capacity. Its Pilot and Feasibility Program supports small-scale, innovative projects; 2) Offers related training, technical assistance, and consultation to investigators and key stakeholders through an Enrichment Program; 2) Sustains and expands a Research Base of funded faculty whose research either directly targets diabetes prevention and treatment or is translational in nature with clear potential for application to diabetes translational research; 3) Supports a Translational Research Core that offers resources in the cultural adaptation of interventions, health literacy, health technologies, dissemination and implementation science, cost of care/ sustainability, and qualitative research methods to advance a culturally grounded, multidisciplinary problem-oriented translational research program of major scientific and programmatic importance to Native people; 4) Serves as a National Resource Core for other investigators and programs pursuing diabetes translational research with AI/AN communities; and 5) Establishes a Community Outreach and Engagement Core that promotes the dissemination of lessons learned and ensures key stakeholder participation in their extension to this special population.