Tingbjerg Changing Diabetes: a protocol for a long-term Supersetting initiative to promote health and prevent type 2 diabetes among people living in an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark

Abstract

IntroductionType 2 diabetes is an escalating public health problem closely related to socioeconomic position. There is increased risk of type 2 diabetes in disadvantaged neighbourhoods where education, occupation and income levels are low. Meanwhile, studies show positive health outcomes of participatory community interventions pointing towards the need for increased health promotion and prevention of type 2 diabetes in local communities. This study protocol describes Tingbjerg Changing Diabetes (TCD), a community-based health promotion and type 2 diabetes prevention initiative in Tingbjerg, a disadvantaged neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark.Methods and analysisTCD is a long-term, complex intervention, implemented in three phases from 2014 to 2032, focusing on partnership formation (phase 1, 2014–2019), developing and implementing action for health (phase 2, 2019–2030) and diffusion of knowledge (phase 3, 2022–2032). The Supersetting principles act as guidelines for development and implementation of all intervention activities of TCD, involving several population groups in a variety of everyday life settings. The implementation of TCD draws on Community Action Research design and methodologies. TCD’s evaluation and research strategy is interdisciplinary, pragmatic and multimethod, unfolding at three levels of operation: (A) evaluating activities, (B) researching cross-cutting topics, and (C) researching methods and approaches.Ethics and disseminationTCD has been approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency. Accordingly, the initiative is carried out in adherence to rules and regulations of the Danish Data Protection Agency. As data contain no personal identifiable or sensitive data, no clearance from the Danish National Ethical Review Board can be obtained according to Danish regulations. Citizen, local agents and stakeholders are engaged in the design and execution of TCD to ensure usefulness, reflexive interpretation of data, relevance and iterative progression of interventions. Results will be published in international peer-reviewed scientific journals, presented at conferences and through public media including TCD home page, podcasts and videos.

Tingbjerg Changing Diabetes: experiencing and navigating complexity in a community-based health promotion initiative in a disadvantaged neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark

“…TCD builds on the Supersetting approach [ 28 ], which is an intervention framework that promotes the coordinated engagement of multiple stakeholders in the development and implementation of activities across settings in local communities [ 28 , 29 ]. In practice, this is done by engaging in long-term partnerships with public, civic, private, and academic organizations, and by being responsive to local suggestions for new activities, projects, and working relationships.…”

“…The study applied a Community Action Research (CAR) design [ 29 , 35 ] combined with in-depth qualitative ethnographic methods. CAR argues for the active and joint involvement of citizens and professional stakeholders, including researchers, in processes of developing and implementing interventions [ 29 , 35 ].…”

“…The study applied a Community Action Research (CAR) design [ 29 , 35 ] combined with in-depth qualitative ethnographic methods. CAR argues for the active and joint involvement of citizens and professional stakeholders, including researchers, in processes of developing and implementing interventions [ 29 , 35 ]. On this basis, the first author from Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen actively contributed to the development and implementation of a community restaurant alongside other stakeholders in TCD.…”

Tingbjerg Changing Diabetes: Experiencing and navigating complexity in a community-based health promotion initiative in a disadvantaged neighborhood in Copenhagen, Denmark

“…The study applied a Community Action Research (CAR) design (Ozanne and Anderson, 2010;Tørslev et al, 2021) combined with in-depth qualitative ethnographic methods. CAR argues for the active and joint involvement of citizens and professional stakeholders, including researchers, in processes of developing and implementing interventions (Ozanne and Anderson, 2010;Tørslev et al, 2021). On this basis, the rst author actively contributed to the development and implementation of a community restaurant alongside other stakeholders in TCD.…”

“…The purpose of TCD is to promote health and well-being among residents of Tingbjerg and ultimately reduce and prevent type 2 diabetes in the neighborhood. TCD builds on the Supersetting approach (Bloch et al, 2014), an intervention framework that promotes the coordinated engagement of multiple stakeholders in the development and implementation of activities across settings in local communities (Bloch et al, 2014;Tørslev et al, 2021). In practice, this is done through long-term partnerships with public, civic, private and academic organizations, and by being responsive to local ideas for new activities, projects, and working relationships.…”