Places
Today Gary Indiana has a population of around 80,000 people, that is down from the 1960 population of approximately 180,000. Detroit had a population of approximately 1.85 million in 1950 today it has a population of approximately 714,000. In Newark the peak population of approximately 439,000 occurred in 1950, and today it is estimated to be 277,000. St Louis went from approximately 453,000 in 1980 to 318,000 to in 2011.
What is often forgotten is the population that is left. These people tend to be older. on average, poorer, and less likely to move, which is the point of this article. I do not have statistics, but I bet it can be shown that the people left in these cities have a higher percentage of diabetic rates, among their populations. The census bureau estimates that the population of these shrinking cities is usually older than the average of the country. Again as the average age tends to grows it is fair to suggest that there is a greater incidence of type 2 diabetes in these places.
With the drop of population so too did these communities lose essential services that most of us take for granted. Grocery stores, doctors, pharmacies, dentists, and many more services that drive the concept of community left. This void means that the identity of community and mutual assistance really do not exist.
So what does any of this have to do with a community of diabetes? I propose that has lots to do with diabetics in general and to some degree to TuDiabetes in particular. We have to remember that reaching out to these communities is difficult. But if it can be done, we will find fertile ground, for assisting diabetics. Where doctors are scarce, correct information is even more scarce. Where pharmacies are few, proper medication is difficult to come by. Where groceries are difficult to find, usually adequate employment is nonexistent. Where vacant lots populate every block then general sanitation is usually lacking.
According to Tech Crunch, 84% of United States adults use the internet. That means organizations like TUDiabetes have a special place in spreading knowledge. But we also have a responsibility to provide relevant content. I think we can take pride in what we do in terms of relevant content. I know we can take pride in the way we greet and welcome new members. But we need to be vigilant in what we do. New members mean a lot to us or any online organization, but also to the people who join. Oh and sometimes, these new members think of us as the only place to receive information. We can help by giving them accurate information, and remembering that not everyone sees a doctor on a regular basis.
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Rick