There are 23.6 million people in the United States who have diabetes and close to six million people who have the disease and don’t know it.
Reaching those who might be undiagnosed diabetics usually takes place in the physician’s office through family and personal medical histories, said Dr. Veronica Piziak, director of the division of endocrinology at Scott & White Memorial Hospital. Also, being overweight will usually result in being screened for the disease.
Public awareness is another avenue for educating the public, and education is a key aspect in patient care, Ms. Piziak said.
“What we like to emphasize is that people who have the disease should know about it,” Ms. Piziak said.
On Monday, July 28, Jose Cardenas, a member of the A1C Champions Program, will be speaking to the Scott & White Diabetes Support Group about the challenges and obstacles of the diabetic who is trying to maintain control of the disease. The support group meets once a month.
Cardenas will be speaking 5:30-6:30 p.m. in conference room 1 at Scott & White Diagnostic Medicine Clinic, 1605 S. 31st St.
The American Diabetes Association recommends people with diabetes should initially strive for an A1C - a test that assesses blood glucose levels over a two- to three-month period - that is less than seven percent.
Diabetes is a leading cause of adult blindness, kidney failure and nontraumatic amputations in the United States. However, Ms. Piziak emphasizes that individuals who work to keep their diabetes under control and are diligent in seeking the appropriate medical care will likely avoid these complications.
“There are lots of different things that we can do to help people,” she said.
Scott & White offers a diabetes education basics course made up of four classes over a six-month period.
n In session one, topics include symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, the importance of blood glucose monitoring, food planning, physical activity and carbohydrate counting.
n Evaluating self-test results and skills, meter maintenance, glucose levels and food strategies will be discussed in session two.
n During session three, there will be a topic review along with a talk about foot care skills, heart healthy food choices, and how diabetes and therapy change over time.
n The final session includes developing problem-solving skills, and topics such as how stress affects blood glucose control, and diabetes and depression.
For information on the class call 215-0369 or 215-0310.
The classes are lead by certified diabetes educators Lynn McLellan, registered dietician, and Barbara Buckles, diabetic nurse educator.
“We talk about how diabetes will affect their lives,” Ms. Buckles said.
Also, practical information on how to manage the diet when eating out will be discussed, Ms. McLellan said.
Probably only 15 percent of Type 2 diabetics in the United States are able to control the disease with diet, Piziak said. Super sizing and all-you-can-eat menus make it difficult to maintain a reasonable diet with a food plan.
“It’s like swimming upstream,” she said. “Some of our patients do it, but it’s not easy.”
Sustaining a personal program is difficult for the diabetic, Ms. Piziak said.
Patients will follow a program for a while, but once the diabetes is under control it’s easy to become lax.
It requires being persistent every day, every meal, every minute about the diet and lifestyle, she said.
The support group, Ms. Piziak said, helps the clinic keep in touch with the patients and serves as a reminder to diabetics they have the disease and need to keep it under control. The support group is for anyone interested in diabetes.
“Family support is extremely important, particularly for the younger person,” she said.
There are many new treatments for diabetes in the works - patches, insulin to be inhaled, new pills and blood sugar sensors, Ms. Piziak said.
Diabetes is a difficult disease to have, requiring a lot of monitoring, she said, but there are new items coming along that will make the life of a diabetic much easier.
