December 30th, 2008

Reports the Patriot-News:

People with diabetes face a lot of painful and scary possibilities.

Infections that won’t heal. Toe, foot and leg amputations. Blindness. Kidney failure. Heart attack.

Much of it can be avoided with diet, exercise and adherence to medical advice.

Yet diabetes continues to disable and kill, and account for much of the country’s health care bill.

With so much at stake, why don’t more diabetics take better care of themselves?

…

It’s an issue for people of all races, but studies show health problems stemming from diabetes are more common among blacks and Hispanics.

Using a $252,000 grant from health insurer Highmark Inc., Joshi and Pinnacle decided to find out if black and Hispanic diabetics would stay healthier if they received intense support from a nurse of the same race.

The study was based on the theory that cultural issues can prevent members of those groups from obtaining and accepting the best medical care and advice. It involved 232 patients, lasted 18 months and showed positive results.

Overall, there was major improvement in the patients’ control of their blood sugar, Joshi says. Their diabetes-related emergency room visits were cut in half.

Read more about the study and the message it’s sending to the healthcare industry at the Patriot.