Diabetes report praised by SC Library
The report, Burden of Diabetes in South Carolina, 1999 was recognized as one of the top 10 most notable publications in South Carolina, by the South Carolina State Library. This publication was jointly prepared by Diabetes Control Program, the Bureau of Epidemiology of South Carolina DHEC, and by the Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina.The epidemiologic data in these reports provides important information about trends in diabetes mortality, morbidity, costs, and complications in South Carolina. The data are used by the Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina to monitor progress in its “Ten Year Strategic Plan,” which is directed at reducing the devastating impact of morbidity, mortality, and costs of diabetes and its complications in S.C.
The first report, Burden of Diabetes in South Carolina, 1996, was released in 1997, and subsequent reports are planned at three-year intervals. Selections are based upon the usefulness of the information for S.C. history, health, population trends, arts, environment and/or governmental affairs.
Currently, it is estimated that more than 300,000 people have diabetes in South Carolina, and about a third do not know they have the disease. The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes in South Carolina has been gradually increasing in recent years and rose to 6.4 percent in 1999 from 5.7 percent in 1998 and 4.9 percent in 1997. These figures provide evidence that diabetes is a major public health threat.
From
left are: Dr. Deyi Zheng, Ida Spruill, Dr. Carolyn Jenkins (principal investigator),
and Lisa Kozlowski Riekerk.
“Despite these dramatic increases, we are encouraged that maintaining or adopting healthy behavior such as weight control, healthy diet, and physical activity and accessing and receiving the recommended standards of diabetes care will help ease the burden of diabetes and will actually prevent or delay onset and complications of diabetes,” said Carolyn Jenkins, Dr.PH, R.N., associate professor at MUSC’s College of Nursing, chair of Outreach Council of the Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina, and principal investigator of REACH 2010. The report also showed areas of improvements. Mortality associated with diabetes has decreased in the past few years after gradually increasing at a steady rate since 1980. Among people with diagnosed diabetes in South Carolina, about 59 percent are overweight, 41 - 75 percent have hypertension, 35 - 45 percent have high levels of cholesterol, 42 - 61 percent are physically inactive, and 63 - 68 percent are on an unhealthy diet. These major risk factors leading to cardiovascular complications are the leading cause of death in people with diabetes.
While overall care for people with diabetes has improved in South Carolina since 1994, many people with diabetes have not received the standards of diabetes care, as recommended by the American Diabetes Association. For instance, less than 33 percent of individuals with diabetes monitor their blood glucose daily. Three-fourths of the patients with diagnosed diabetes are not aware of glycated hemoglobin (or HbA1c).
“We have seen increases of high blood pressure, stroke and kidney failure in South Carolina. Diabetes, abnormal blood lipids, and high blood pressure are leading causes of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Control of diabetes, blood lipids, and high blood pressure will save lives and costs,” said Daniel Lackland, Dr.PH., professor of biometry and epidemiology, chairman of Surveillance Council of the Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina
“Disparities of the burden of diabetes among population segments are large. We need to look at this and target high risk populations. For example, prevalence and mortality are clearly higher in blacks compared to whites. About 4 percent of whites and 8 percent of blacks have diagnosed diabetes in South Carolina in 1998,” said Youjie Huang, M.D., Dr.PH, senior epidemiologist of DHEC, who directed the preparation of the report.
“We are very encouraged about the trend indicating a decrease in diabetes-related mortality in the past few years in South Carolina,” said John Colwell, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the board of The Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina. “It is very exciting to see the collaboration of so many organizations and their representatives who have joined together in the common goals of combating diabetes and its complications in South Carolina.”
The Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina works in collaboration with Department of Health and Environmental Control’s South Carolina Diabetes Control Program and more than 50 other agencies and organizations, both public and private partners to improve diabetes awareness, standard of diabetes care and treatment, promote early diagnosis, and maintain quality of life for people with or at risk of diabetes.
For information on diabetes, visit the Diabetes Initiative of South
Carolina's Web site at <http://www.musc.edu/diabetes>.