About Diabetes
Diabetes occurs with an incidence of 1 in 10 persons in the general population and is rising as the population ages. More than 2 million people in Canada have diabetes, a number that is expected to increase to over 3 million by 2010.1 When managed according to the Professional Practice Guidelines, the risk of long-term complications of the disease can be reduced. (The long-term complications are blindness, limb amputations, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and debilitating neuropathic pain.)
The Ontario Ministry of Health recognizes diabetes management as one of its areas of priority. Interdisciplinary healthcare teams are being mandated to provide holistic, seamless patient care. These professionals, based in Family Health Networks and other family practice settings, are encouraged to focus their professional creativity at the community level, looking at models other than the hospital-based acute-care interventional tradition. While diabetes is seldom the primary diagnosis for hospital admission, it is often the underlying cause of the primary admitting diagnosis.
Diabetes is a frequent secondary diagnosis in cardiac units and dialysis units. By skillful educational strategies and aggressive pro-active medical management the risk of these long-term complications can be reduced. Improved blood sugar control, reflected in a reduction of 1% in the A1c, is associated with an approximate 20% reduction in overall events of heart, stroke, eye, and kidney complications.2 The implication for cost savings is great; the implications for improved quality of life are greater.
Online Diabetes Resources
Canadian Websites
Canadian Diabetes Association
Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
Dietitians of Canada
Nutrition Labelling Education Centre
American Websites
American Diabetes Association
Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
NOAH (New York On-line Access to Health)
Joslin Diabetes Centre
Medline Plus (interactive tutorial)
Children with Diabetes
International Websites
International Diabetes Federation