There are 18.2 million Americans with diabetes-and nearly
one-third of them (or 5.2 million people don’t know it!
Diabetes is more common in African American, Latinos,
American Indian and Alaskan Native, Asian Americans, and
Pacific Islanders.
Dr. Francine Kaufman speaking at the BAPAC State Convention,
says she loves a food fight, especially if sugar is
involved. The head of the Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology
and Metabolism at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Kaufman
is a pioneer in the campaign against juvenile obesity and
the rise of “adult-onset” Type 2 diabetes in children.
The professor of pediatrics at USC’s Keck School of Medicine
makes her case in the recently published “Diabesity”
BAPAC Diabetic
Program Proposal
The Black
American Political Association of California (BAPAC) is a
non‑profit public benefit corporation organized under the
Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law for charitable
purposes. The proposed programs, interests, goals and
policies of the BAPAC organization are to identify,
document, effectuate and develop resources necessary to
achieve the educational, economic and cultural goals for
African Americans in the State of California.
BAPAC is
interested in partnering with others who are willing to
invest in health education and disease management programs
to control the incidence and long term effects of diabetes,
and its disproportion impact on minority groups. BAPAC seeks
to develop a coordinated team of sponsors, physicians,
nurses, pharmacists, and volunteers to serve as advocates
for the health of those most affected with diabetes. We
believe the key to successful diabetes management is the
following:
1. Screening
2. Prevention and
Education
3. Monitoring
Outpatient and home Diabetic care
4. Ongoing Care:
Community Focus and Group Support
5. Collection of data
to Measure the success of Outcome and Management strategies
To this
end, educating the African American, Latino, Asian, and
Native American communities in the education, prevention,
and early detection of diabetes and the complications of
undiagnosed and untreated diabetes is paramount. Because
people with diabetes have a chronic multi‑system disease,
e.g. high blood pressure and kidney disease, they are better
monitored and managed by skilled health care professionals
trained with the latest information on diabetes to help
ensure early detection, compliance and appropriate treatment
of the serious complications of the disease. Thus, a team
approach to access, monitoring
and medical support has a better chance at effecting
prevention and altering the progression of this disease.
BAPAC is suggesting ‘free’ blood sugar and Hemoglobin AC1
screening services, utilizing a mobile unit to go out into
the community to alert people to the risk factors and the
consequences of diabetes, especially in the African
American, Latino, Asian, and the Native American
communities. This program would be an adjunct to current
existing programs, if they exist and supplement them by
providing additional information and knowledge about the
prevention and early detection of diabetes.
Access to
appropriate care is essential. An important objective is to
encourage people in the community to seek out care instead
of avoiding it. But in those situations where they are not
able or have poor transportation issues, we would bring the
program to them. People with diabetes need support that
extends into the areas where they live. Community focused
programs can be effective by providing peer support that can
enhance awareness and better health management. Monitoring
and measuring the results of our programs would include the
following;
1.
Identification of new Diabetics
2.
Identification of those with metabolic syndrome (early
Diabetics)
3.
Monitoring prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
4.
Prevention or delay of type II Diabetes
The
number of people receiving blood sugar screening will also
serve as an indicator of the overall number that is
necessary for diagnosing and assessing the potential for
future diabetic complications, as well as, self‑management
training and compliance.
BAPAC is
seeking startup funds for the development of this Diabetes
Program, as well as, funding for the long term diabetes
management of the above stated objectives to acquire a more
successful outcome.
Shafeeq
S. Shamsid-Deen, M.D.
Acting
Chairman
E-mail:
