Diabetes - African American Program

Ebony, March, 1999

Introduction

A Message From Dr. James R. Gavin III CHAIR OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN PROGRAM FOR THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION

Four years ago, we set out to make Black Americans take notice that diabetes is a disease to be reckoned with. For decades, we watched as the number of African Americans with diabetes kept climbing, tripling, and becoming an epidemic in our community. It was in this climate that the American Diabetes Association created the African American Program and joined forces with EBONY magazine to bring information directly into the homes of millions.

Our program is designed to provide you, your family and friends with valuable information about diabetes by blending community outreach activities with educational materials. For example, we offer "Could You Have Diabetes and Not Know It," a paper-and-pencil quiz that can easily be taken at home. It helps determine your risk of getting diabetes. Just last year, we introduced "Soul Food Sensations," a recipe sampler that suggests healthier ways to prepare some of the foods we love. And this month, The New Soul Food Cookbook for People with Diabetes will be available. This new selection of tasty recipes may be ordered by calling 1-800-ADA-Order (1-800-232.6733). Created exclusively for the African American Program, these resources are intended to help individuals play a larger part in managing their disease, and for this we are proud.

We are equally as proud of our church-based initiative, "Diabetes Sunday." From a few churches in 1996 to more than 2,000 today, pastors across the country are collaborating with the African American Program to help educate their congregations about the seriousness of this disease. Through the Black Church alone, nearly 1 million people have been reached with lifesaving messages. The Clark Sisters, spokespersons for "Diabetes Sunday," and thousands of volunteers have been instrumental in mobilizing the religious community to take action ... and there ain't no stopping us now.

In such a short time, our "team" has accomplished three main goals: We have increased awareness of the insidious nature of this disease; familiarized more African Americans with diabetes warning signs and symptoms, and encouraged those with the disease to take charge so they'll lead healthier lives.

Even with these successes, we recognize the battle and struggle have only begun. There are millions of people who have not been reached and continue to suffer. But we can't do it alone; we need the time and talents of volunteers to bring information to those who have not been reached. We're also appealing directly to African American organizations to form linkages and partnerships with us.

To find out how you can help or to learn more about the African American Program, call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit us online at www.diabetes.org or e-mail me at gavin@diabetes.org.

Coping With A Deadly Disease

FOR Washington, D.C., registered nurse Cherrel A. Christian, it's an all-too-familiar sight--African-Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes but continue to downplay the seriousness of the deadly disease. They call it names like "sugar" and many times seem uninspired to exercise, take the medication or eat the low-fat foods their doctors have prescribed.

"Sometimes [diabetics] have a tendency to minimize their symptoms and don't go to the doctor as often as they should," says Christian, a certified diabetes educator and national chair of the American Diabetes Association's African American Program Project Team. "I try to speak with them frankly and give them the education they need to manage their disease. Diabetes is not like other diseases. It is an illness that has no cure. It's a lifestyle disease in which 95 percent of the care is done by the person with diabetes."

The statistics alone give a picture of how serious the disease should be taken. More than 3 million African-Americans have diabetes, and one-half don't even know it. One in four African-American women over 55 and one in four Black men between 65 and 74 years of age are afflicted. For Blacks, diabetes is the No. 1 disease causing death, blindness, kidney ailment and non-traumatic amputations. It kills more than 182,000 Americans each year and is the country's second most-costly disease, behind mental health.

Diabetes occurs when the body is unable to produce or respond to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose (blood sugar) to enter the cells of the body and generate the body's energy. There are two major types of diabetes--insulin-dependent, also known as type I diabetes, and non-insulin-dependent, or type II diabetes. Type II is more prevalent in African-Americans and adults over 45, accounting for up to 95 percent of the 16 million Americans who suffer from the disease. Type I diabetes usually, but not always, affects children and young people.

High-risk groups include African-Americans over 45 who are overweight, who rarely exercise and who have a family history of the disease. Warning signs of diabetes include excessive thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, irritability, unexplained weight loss, tingling in fingers or toes, nausea, fatigue and vomiting. But the only way to know for sure is to see a doctor to get tested. The disease can be detected through a routine blood test. New recommendations suggest that all adults 45 years of age and older be tested for diabetes every three years. For higher-risk African-Americans, it is suggested that testing begin at a younger age and be given more frequently.