Resources to Combat Rising Diabetes Rates
COVID-19 has taken up most of the health headlines this past year, but the United States is still struggling to deal with a rising diabetes crisis.
Diabetes is a condition that affects how the body uses blood sugar (glucose), which is vital to health because it is an important source of energy for the body’s cells. When blood sugar level is elevated to a certain level, one is diagnosed with diabetes. Like any disease, environmental factors—or community conditions—can create risk factors for the disease.
Diabetes is considered one of the leading causes of the rising burden of disease rates and is one of the top 10 causes of death globally. While some areas of the world are seeing decreases in diabetes rates, the United States is experiencing a strong rise with no sign of letting up. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 34.2 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, and nearly 20 percent of those people don’t know they have it. Additionally, 88 million adults have what is called prediabetes, which means a higher-than-normal blood sugar level that could lead to type 2 diabetes without lifestyle changes.
The Burden of Disease is a concept developed in the 1990s by the Harvard School of Public Health, the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO) to describe death and loss of health due to diseases, injuries, and risk factors.
According to the WHO, the burden of a particular disease or condition is estimated by adding together:
- The number of years of life a person loses as a consequence of dying early because of the disease (Life Years Lost)
- The number of years of life a person lives with disability caused by the disease (Disability Adjusted Life Year)
Adding together the Years of Life Lost and Years of Life lived with Disability gives an estimate of disease burden, called the Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY). One DALY represents the loss of one year of life lived in full health.
There have been many scientific advances in diabetes management, both in terms of medication and diabetes management programs. Yet, prevention of diabetes remains the ideal solution to decreasing diabetes rates, reducing disability from diabetes, and lowering the burden of disease.
Community Commons has a collection of diabetes resources gathered through the work of the Care Transformation Collaborative of Rhode Island for their Rhode Island Diabetes Health Equity Challenge.
Guided by Well-Being and Equity in the World and the Well-Being in the Nation Network, challenge participants used tools developed by 100 Million Healthier Lives to accelerate a pathway to improve an equitable, rapid and sustainable response for people experiencing disparities in diabetic outcomes in the context of COVID-19.
In Rhode Island, a Model for Upending Health Inequity
Story - Written
Brought to you by Community Commons
COVID-19 and Diabetes
Fauci says the coronavirus is 'shining a bright light' on 'unacceptable' health disparities for African Americans
Story - Written
Brought to you by Insider Inc.
COVID-19 Racial Health Disparities Highlight Why We Need to Address Structural Racism
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Urban Institute
For Urban Poor, the Coronavirus Complicates Existing Health Risks
Story - Written
Brought to you by NYT
Policy Planning
12 Coronavirus Funds That Will Help the Most Vulnerable
Story - Written
Brought to you by The Nation
Access to Healthy Food
More Than One in Five US Adults Experienced Food Insecurity in the Early Weeks of the Pandemic
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Urban Institute
9 Budget-Friendly Foods for a Diabetes Diet
Resource - Website/webpage
Brought to you by Everday Health
Feeding the Country During a Pandemic: Seven Ways Forward
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Urban Institute
A Pilot Food Bank Intervention Featuring Diabetes-Appropriate Food Improved Glycemic Control Among Clients In Three States
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by Health Affairs
Three Ways to Improve Access to Healthy Food
Story
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Original
Brought to you by Community Commons
Published on 03/15/2017
Uncommon Nonprofit Embraces Urban Agriculture to Break Cycle of Poverty
Story - Written
Brought to you by Seedstock
Program Planning
Diabetes in the Food-Pantry Line: How Food Banks Can Help Reach the Hard-to-Reach
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Urban Institute
Reimagining Strategy in the Context of the COVID-19 Crisis: A Triage Tool
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by CCI
The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Straining Families' Abilities to Afford Basic Needs
Resource
Brought to you by Urban Institute
Addressing Disparities in Diagnostic Errors & Medication Safety in the Home
Resource - Report
Brought to you by Massachusetts General Hospital (d/b/a General Hospital Corporation)
Six Ways to Reduce Risks and Burdens for Accessing Public Assistance During the Coronavirus Outbreak
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Urban Institute
Care Coordination
8 Strategies to Build a Care Coordination Model that Works
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by COPE Health Solutions
Care Coordination
Resource - Website/webpage
Brought to you by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Pathways HUB: A Population Health Model that Activates the Community Response to Social Determinants
Resource - Webinar
Brought to you by Health Management Associates
Guide to Patient and Family Engagement in Hospital Quality and Safety
Resource - Guide/handbook
Brought to you by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
AIMS: A Care Coordination Model to Improve Patient Health Outcomes
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by Health Soc Work
linkAges: Building Support Systems for Seniors Living Independently in the Community
Resource
Brought to you by The Commonwealth Fund
Mental Health and Diabetes
Managing Isolation and Loneliness During COVID-19
Resource - Website/webpage
Brought to you by Mass.gov
Policies, Practices, and Resources for Child Care and Early Education Providers Amid the Coronavirus Crisis
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Urban Institute
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Could Increase Social Isolation, and How Providers and Policymakers Can Keep Us Connected
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by The Commonwealth Fund
Confronting Racism and Supporting Asian American Communities in the Wake of COVID-19
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Urban Institute
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