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The Diabetes and Nutrition Center of the Northeast Missouri Health Council will celebrate World Diabetes Day Wednesday with an open house to educate patients about their health care options and the public about managing type 2 diabetes.
Carrie Snyder, Dietician and Diabetes Education Coordinator at the center, said the event would provide an opportunity to bring the community together.
"This is an opportunity to bring together the public and health care providers in one place to discuss diabetes issues," said Snyder.
The event will feature several live demonstrations of technologies such as insulin pumps, glucose meters and blood glucose monitoring apps to help patients manage their diabetes, as well as educational materials on diabetes and related diseases such as: as hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. It will take place in the conference room at 1506 Crown Drive from 5 pm to 7 pm
Snyder said World Diabetes Day was important because it raised awareness of the disease. up to half of patients with type 2 diabetes have not been diagnosed. Type 2 diabetics do not respond well to insulin and usually develop the disease later in life; Type 1 diabetics do not produce their own insulin and are usually diagnosed during childhood, although both types may develop later.
Snyder said that diabetes is much easier to manage if diagnosed early, before it can cause lasting damage.
Symptoms to watch out for as indicators of type 2 diabetes include increased hunger and thirst, frequent urination, and sudden weight loss.
"It can take years before patients begin to develop type 2 symptoms, so we will have paper-based screening officers where people can assess their risk of diabetes," said Snyder.
The open house will also provide resources to manage the stress that diabetes can place on patients and their families, including the daily stress of controlling blood sugar levels and monitoring a health plan. sometimes strict, as well as interpersonal stress related to discussions about the disease. Other topics covered include diabetes prevention and nutrition, including programs available for Medicare patients.
Uninsured or under-insured patients may seek treatment from providers, including NEMHC, who provide services on a sliding scale based on income level.
Snyder said it was intended to dispel any misconceptions that patients might have about the treatment of diabetes. She said that many patients have misunderstandings about insulin and mistakenly believe that it is risky.
"This is only one of the treatments," Snyder said. "There is nothing wrong with taking insulin."
Snyder also wants to help diabetic patients and the general public understand that type 2 diabetes is not solely due to the consumption of large amounts of sugar. It is a risk factor, as is excessive calorie intake and physical inactivity, but age and family history also contribute. Snyder said people can develop type 2 diabetes even if their lifestyle is healthy and patients should not face social stigma.
"People think that type 2 is a lifestyle-related disease and that's not the case," Snyder said. "There are many factors that contribute to it."
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