ADA program raises African American awareness

Diabetes afflicts nearly three million African Americans, making it the fourth leading cause of death for that group.

The American Diabetes Association in Alexandria, VA, reports that the rates have tripled since the 1960s. The disease not only accounts for thousands of deaths annually, it also causes enormous disability among African Americans every year, such as:

· 9,000 undergo lower-extremity amputation.

· 3,625 develop end-stage renal disease.

· 6,300 go blind from diabetic retinopathy.

The African American education program and clinical practice guidelines for all diabetics were released recently by the association. The latter place heavy emphasis on teaching patients the critical role of self-management for this chronic illness.

Integral to self-management, the guidelines explain, are regular patient monitoring of blood glucose levels, medical nutrition therapy, and regular exercise.

[For more information on the African American program as well as the guidelines, contact the American Diabetes Association, 1660 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Telephone: (703) 549-1500. World Wide Web: http://www.diabetes.org.]