What a day it has been. . . I was at church today (I know some of you had no idea I believed in anything besides swearing in traffic, amazing, huh?) and heard some of the most amazing information.
Recent studies of tribes in Oklahoma and surrounding areas and our Health systems show that we are at an almost 72% risk of failure to adequately assess, treat or manage diabetes in its early stages (that is mostly based on the Type II’s, but also carries some validity and scary truths for the Type I’s). What does that mean? Well the Type II Diabetics (we’ll just call em’ the 2’s) will begin to be a larger and larger part of our population here, what else? The health care system put in place by IHS/PHHS will be clogged by dealing with complications arising from the lack of management of the new/onset diabetic.
Having worked triage in the clinics / hospitals I know that they are underfunded and overcrowded now, what is the end all be all solution for the problem?
I must say that there are Diabetes Education Programs in place now, but most of them are all day time courses that the average working person can’t get away from (if you can and are in the are the Creek Nation’s EPIC program is great! Click HERE for more info), a night program, incentives to take better care of yourself (you would hope that good health would be enough, but is it). Better methods of communication? TV & Radio Spots? Direct Mail to “at risk” tribal members?
Time will tell, but with scary odds at stake…
Bobby