Evaluation of a Toolkit to Improve Cardiovascular Disease Screening and Treatment for People With Diabetes

A cardiovascular disease Toolkit was developed by the Canadian Diabetes Association and mailed to family physician with the Spring/Summer 2009 edition of the newsletter, Canadian Diabetes. The Toolkit was packaged in a brightly-coloured box with Canadian Diabetes Association branding, and contained: 1) an introductory letter from the Chair of the practice guidelines' Dissemination and Implementation Committee; 2) an eight page summary of selected sections of the practice guidelines targeted towards primary care physicians; 3) a four page synopsis of the key guideline elements pertaining to cardiovascular disease risk; 4) a small double-sided laminated card with a simplified algorithm for cardiovascular risk assessment, vascular protection strategies and screening for cardiovascular disease; and 5) a pad of tear-off sheets for patients with a cardiovascular risk self-assessment tool and a list of recommended risk reduction strategies.

Inclusion criteria

• Alive on 1 July 2009 with prevalent diabetes

Exclusion criteria

• Age <= 39
• Residing in long-term care

Secondary Analysis:

• Analysis will be repeated using all people alive on 1 July 2009 without prevalent diabetes using the same exclusion criteria, to determine the spill-over effect of the Intervention on physicians' other patients.