Diabetes Health Talk

Black people are 1.8 times as likely to develop diabetes as whites. Diabetics are more likely to experience greater disability from complications such as amputations, blindness, kidney failure and increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, an estimated 23.6 million people have diabetes. And 5.7 million of those have not been diagnosed.

Blacks, poor often live in one of the most poverty-stricken areas in the country, understands that they face additional challenges with their diagnoses.

Cost Of Diabetes

One such man, Hill. He is black. He is also unemployed during one of the toughest economic times, some say, since the Depression.

Hill, a former salesman, found assistance through a non-profit organization called Care Alliance that provides health and educational services.

Because of his employment status, he is eligible for free health care services.

“They are open and kind,” he says about the Care Alliance staff. “They bend over backward to make sure I have the medication. They suggest new medications and tell me about the side effects.”

Resources To Help Diabetics

Matt Sebastian, an educator with the Diabetes of Association of Greater Cleveland, said informing the communities most affected by diabetes often has it challenges.

People at a greater risk for diabetes include people who over 45, overweight, have family history and those who do not exercise.

Sebastian says while his message includes about symptoms and at-risk factors, he also informs citizens that there are agencies and resources to help.

DAGC provides grocery store tours, free glucose meters and strips, guest speakers, cooking sessions and group meetings of DAGC Divas — women diagnosed with the disease.

“It’s peer pressure in a positive way,” he says about DAGC Divas. “In this group, everyone has diabetes. They can help each other. It’s peer-to-peer motivation.”

Sebastian says that on his grocery store tours, he teaches pre-diabetics, diabetics and at-risk diabetics how to shop.

“Some inner city stores don’t make it easy,” he said. “They have pop three for $3. That’s a lot of liquid for a little money.”

Additionally, he says he encourages people to buy fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables and to pay a little more for whole-grain pasta.