FACT SHEET Promote Healthier and Safer Lives
Introduction
Diabetes Awareness and Management
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is an illness in which blood sugar is too high because the body either does not make insulin or does not respond to insulin properly Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps convert food into energy Diabetes has no cure, but it can be controlled Good diabetes control means that most of the time, blood sugar levels stay close to the levels that are found in people without diabetes There are several kinds of diabetes All forms of diabetes can lead to serious health problems if not controlled By managing their diabetes, people can feel better and lower their chances for serious health problems later on With uncontrolled diabetes, sugar also called glucose builds up in the blood instead of getting into the bodys cells High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, is toxic to cells over a period of time, and can cause serious medical problems, or diabetes complications Blindness, nerve damage, amputations, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke and other sometimes fatal conditions can develop If blood sugar is too low, known as hypoglycemia, immediate serious
health problems, and even death, can occur The death rate for middle-aged people with diabetes is twice as high as for those without diabetes Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United Before the Program States, and in Kansas Diabetes is one of the most severe and costly health challenges facing Americans Insurance companies often help pay for part of the cost of medications, supplies and diabetes education programs People who keep their diabetes controlled have fewer health problems They can expect to live a long and active life
Summary Diabetes is a common and serious health condition Diabetes can be controlled Many people do not know that they have diabetes With proper care, people with diabetes can enjoy good health now and in the future
Brand names appearing in this publication are for product identification purposes only No endorsement is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned Publications from Kansas State University are available on the World Wide Web at: http://wwwoznetksuedu Reviewed by Connie Crawley, MS, RD, LD Extension Nutrition and Health Specialist, Department of Food and Nutrition, The University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia The information in this fact sheet is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your health care provider Contents of this publication may be freely reproduced for educational purposes All other rights reserved In each case, credit Mary L Meck Higgins, PhD, RD, LD, CDE, Diabetes Awareness and Management, Kansas State University, October 2000 Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
MF-2478 October 2000 It is the policy of Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to its educational programs, services, activities, and materials without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age or disability Kansas State University is an equal opportunity organization Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as amended Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, Marc A Johnson, Director
Will You Get Diabetes?
In the United States, about two out of 25 over
age 20 have diabetes About one out of six older adults have diabetes Studies show that only two-thirds of the people who have diabetes know that they have it The other one-third who have 1 diabetes have not been diagnosed
Promote Healthier and Safer Lives
Diabetes Awareness and Management
Preventing diabetes, or finding out you have it as soon as possible if you do get it, gives you the best chance to enjoy good health Many people have diabetes for years before they are diagnosed with it Some people who have been diagnosed with diabetes did not feel sick or have any of the common symptoms of diabetes
Are You at Risk for Diabetes?
Check the risk factors that describe you being overweight getting little or no exercise each day being older than age 45 and especially older than age 65 Adults who are 65 and older are about three times more likely to have diabetes than people younger than 45 having a parent, brother or sister with diabetes for women, having had diabetes when you were pregnant Certain ethnic groups have a much higher rate of diabetes, including: Native Americans Native Alaskans Native Hawaiians Latinos African-Americans Asian-Americans People in these
groups are 15 to 3 times more likely to get diabetes than are non-Hispanic whites of a similar age Are you in one of the ethnic groups at high risk for diabetes? _______________ Developmental Assets
2
Promote Healthier and Safer Lives
Diabetes Awareness and Management
Do You Have Symptoms of Diabetes?
Common symptoms of diabetes are shown below The first letters spell out the words DIABETES and CAUTION, to help you remember the warning signs of diabetes Circle symptoms that you have
Drowsiness Itching A family history of diabetes Blurred vision Excessive weight Tingling, numbness or pain in hands or feet Easy fatigue - feeling tired Skin infections or slow healing of cuts and scratches, especially on the feet Constant urination or going to the bathroom often Abnormal thirst Unusual hunger The rapid loss of weight Irritability or being grumpy Obvious weakness Nausea and vomiting
If you have risk factors or symptoms of diabetes, have you ever talked with your healthcare provider about it? __________________ If not, do it soon It is easy to be tested for diabetes Help someone you love learn if they are at risk for diabetes Tell them to ask their doctor about getting tested for
diabetes
3
Promotie Healthier and Safer Lives
Diabetes Awareness and Managment
Diabetes Treatment
The main goal of diabetes treatment is to keep blood sugar levels within a normal range most of the time Treatment advice is individualized according to the needs of the person Many ways of treating diabetes are effective For example, a variety of good diet and exercise plans, oral medications, insulin-injection schedules, and blood sugar meters areat the End of Life Enhancing Quality of Life available Diabetes is a chronic condition since it is an illness that will not go away People with diabetes must learn to live with it and manage it throughout each day Most diabetes care happens as choices are made each day about diet, exercise, medication, and other daily habits The person with diabetes needs to learn how to make these care choices, with help from family members and friends, based on advice from their health-care partners, in order to reduce medical problems caused by diabetes This is called diabetes self-management If you have diabetes, putting knowledge into action eachof Life at the End about treatment Enhancing Quality day by making choices of Life plans and lifestyle
options is not always easy to do It involves skill in doing certain behaviors for example, estimating food portion sizes, as well as setting realistic goals, learning how to do diabetes problem-solving, and taking a positive approach to diabetes-related situations But you can do it Talk with your health-care partners about how you feel Ask questions Diabetes researchers have proven that keeping blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible makes a big difference in lowering risk for health problems, now and in the future If you have diabetes, controlling your blood sugar can help you have more energy and feel better If a problem does get started, good diabetes care will help stop it from getting worse In two national studies, when blood sugars were kept under better control, health problems in the eyes, nerves, kidneys, and in the heart were drastically reduced, compared to diabetic people who usually had higher blood sugar levels People who take care of their diabetes can expect to live a long and active life Knowledge, Then Action What You Can Do Diabetes lifestyle care choices are important They include: nutrition, exercise, diabetes medication, blood sugar monitoring,
personal health habits, and frequent medical checkups Nutrition Good nutrition involves following a diabetes meal plan that shows what, when and how much to eat Using a diabetes meal plan helps blood sugar levels stay as close to normal as possible The plan needs to be personalized to also provide for enjoyment of meals and overall good health Do not skip meals Rather, eat several times every day according to your diabetes meal plan, and use the Food Guide Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines for Americans to help you choose your meals and snacks If you are overweight, try to lose 10 or 15 pounds in order to help improve your diabetes control 4
Exercise Exercise helps control body weight, high blood sugar levels and stress By working with their health-care partners to set exercise goals, people with diabetes can learn how to adjust their physical activity to take care of their diabetes Your diabetes exercise plan should show you whether you need to check your blood sugar or have a snack before you exercise, as well as the best kinds of physical activity to do, the frequency and intensity of exercise, and amount of time to exercise each week Diabetes Medication In addition to diet and
exercise, medication can help control diabetes People who get diabetes as a child or young adult often require insulin shots for treatment of their diabetes Some people can take diabetes pills instead of insulin shots to help keep their blood sugar down You must balance your diabetes medication with your food and exercise throughout the day If you take diabetes medicine, follow the instructions your doctor gives you Also, learn what to do if your blood sugar goes too low too fast, and tell your family and friends how to help you if you should need their assistance Blood Sugar Monitoring Blood sugar monitoring is a way for people with diabetes to check their blood sugar levels There are many types of blood sugar meters and methods of using them Knowing your blood sugar results can help you adjust your daily diabetes care choices about meals or exercise For example, if blood sugars at bedtime are low, a snack may be necessary If they are high before lunch, going for a walk might be advised Personal advice from the health-care team is needed to set goals for blood sugars If blood sugar levels are not usually in the goal range, ask for help from a health-care team member about how to
get better results If you are sick, check your blood sugar more often and call your health-care team if it stays too high Personal Health Habits People with diabetes can develop many personal health habits to manage their diabetes better For example, practicing simple ways to care for skin, feet and teeth reduces the chances of diabetes complications Avoiding smoking, alcohol and drug abuse is even more important for people with diabetes than for the general public Frequent Medical Checkups Frequent diabetes checkups with a health-care team are very important Regular medical care will allow for prevention or early treatment of health problems If you have diabetes, follow treatment plans for how to take care of yourself during illness Treat other medical conditions you have, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels, to prevent a crisis from developing
K
5
Diabetes Resources
Adapting ones life each day in order to control a chronic disease such as diabetes can be difficult and stressful Anxiety about, and coping with, diabetes complications can require special help People with diabetes can learn to recruit family members, friends and others to assist them Sometimes
people need help with getting to the clinic or paying their bills Knowing how and when to seek help is important Talk about it with your health-care team Diabetes care partners include doctors who specialize in treating diabetes, diabetes educators, general practice doctors, nurses, dietitians, social workers, pharmacists, exercise trainers, vision specialists, foot specialists, mental health counselors, home health-care providers and others Printed materials, audiotapes, videos and other diabetes information, such as cookbooks or exercise plans, can be obtained Ask for help from a diabetes organization, diabetes support group, senior center, local Research and Extension service staff, county health department, hospital, pharmacy or clinic Managing diabetes well challenges people with diabetes and their family, friends and healthcare team Control diabetes — for life
Sources for More Information
For clickable Internet links, to all of the other resouces mentioned in the leaders guide and below, go to: wwwoznetksuedu/ext_fn/NUTLINK/pages/DIABETESHTM National Diabetes Education Program Their telephone number is 1-800-438-5383 Their web address is:
wwwniddknihgov/health/diabetes/diabeteshtmpubs The American Diabetes Associations telephone number is 1-800-DIABETES 1-800-342-2383 The web address is: wwwdiabetesorg/ada/diabetesinfoasp A nutrition and diabetes resource list for consumers who have diabetes can be found at: wwwnalusdagov/fnic/ pubs/bibs/topics/diabetes/diabeteshtml To take a simple seven-question diabetes risk test, go to: wwwdiabetesorg/ada/risktextasp Other diabetes-related K-State Research and Extension Publications can be found at: wwwoznetksuedu Take Charge of Your Diabetes, Center for Disease Control, Division of Diabetes TranslationTheir telephone number is 1-877-232-3422 You can print a copy of the book from their web address: wwwcdcgov/diabetes/ pubs/tcydhtm
References
A Core Curriculum for Diabetes Education 1998 By Martha Mitchell Funnell, Cheryl Hunt, Karmeen Kulkarni, Richard R Rubin, and Peggy C Yarborough American Association of Diabetes Educators, Chicago, IL
6
Your County
Todays Date
Diabetes Awareness and Management Lesson Survey Questions
Instructions for participants: Please answer the following questions, even if you do not have diabetes yourself Completing it is voluntary You do not have
to answer every question You will not be identified with your answers in any way 1 Do you believe that the following statement is true? People can have diabetes for several years before finding out that they have it Yes No Check One Before this program, did you believe the statement? Check One Yes No
2 How do you feel about the following statement? If I had risk factors or symptoms of diabetes, I would ask to be tested for it Check one Agree Somewhat Agree Somewhat Disagree Before this program, how did you feel about the statement? Check one Agree Somewhat Agree Somewhat Disagree Disagree Disagree
3 How do you feel about the following statement? There is not much that a person with diabetes can do to control his or her blood sugar and prevent long-term diabetes complications Agree Somewhat Agree Somewhat Disagree Check one Before this program, how did you feel about the statement? Check one Agree Somewhat Agree Somewhat Disagree Disagree Disagree
4 After today, do you intend to make the following changes to reduce your risk factors for diabetes? Check those that apply ______ If overweight, lose 10 or 15 pounds ______ If little or no exercise, increase physical activity Before
this program, did you intend to make the following changes? Check those that apply ______ If overweight, lose 10 or 15 pounds ______ If little or no exercise, increase physical activity
7
5 If you have diabetes: After today, how often do you plan to test your blood sugar? If you do not have diabetes, please go to question 6 I do not plan to test my blood sugar Once a day Other If you have diabetes: Before this program, how often did you test your blood sugar? Check one I did not test my blood sugar Once a day Other 6 Please answer the following questions about you a Do you have diabetes? Yes b Are You: Male c Are You: White/non-Hispanic African-American/Black Native -American/American Indian d Are you age 60 years or over? Yes No White/Hispanic Heritage Asian-American Other Female No Dont Know
7 What did you learn that you did not know or that surprised you?
Thank you Separate this survey and give it to your class leader The information you provided will help us to improve diabetes and nutrition education
For Leaders Only: Leaders Name Type of Meeting Number of People attending Leaders Phone Number Number of Men Number of Women
Please return completed surveys to your county
Family and Consumer Science agent, or mail directly to: Mary Higgins Kansas State University 202 Justin Hall Manhattan, Kansas 66506 8
Source:cms.hhs.gov
