Phase 1
Building and testing Diabetes Connect
In Phase 1 we asked a simple question: can screening work in a community setting, and can it connect people to care? We built it with community members and partners, tested it at two wellness fairs, and listened to what people told us.
We Listened First
2023
2024
2025
Conducted a review of 30+ studies from around the world on community-based type 2 diabetes screening
Created a Study Steering Committee with 8 partner organizations
Interviews with community program leaders
Created a Community Advisory Group (CAG) with residents from Peel
Focus group with community members in our CAG
Then We Had Our Events!
In June 2025 we held two free, family-friendly fairs
Brampton
Sunday, June 15, 2025
Century Gardens
Mississauga
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Living Arts Centre
Each fair offered the risk questions, the finger-prick test, one-on-one education and help with next steps. It also had a nutrition workshop with locally relevant foods, dancing, music, children's activities and partner booths.
What We Found
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About 200 people took part
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About 1 in 4 had a raised HbA1c, meaning possible prediabetes or diabetes
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Six local clinics agreed to take new patients, and we were able to connect all those who wanted to a family doctor
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Nearly everyone who filled out our exit survey would recommend a community screening event to others (98.5%), and 94.8% said they would come to one again
What People Told Us
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Participants liked the quick results and the family-friendly setting. They asked for more locations, more languages, more notice before events, and follow-up after screening. We are building those into Phase 2.
Our Research from Phase 1
A Scoping Review on Community-based Diabetes Screening Interventions: Paving the Pathway to Early Care and Prevention of Diabetes
More published work soon...
Now on to:
This research was funded by
