Reversing alarming rates of diabetes, kidney disease

As the new year begins, it’s a good time to highlight some success stories in healthcare.

I am a diabetologist so diabetes prevention is always at the forefront of my mind.

American Indian and Alaska Native communities are at higher risk for diabetes than all other groups of people in the United States, which means they are at higher risk for kidney disease because diabetes is the top cause of kidney disease.

Since its inception in 1997, the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) has dramatically increased access to diabetes prevention and treatment services in tribal communities in the U.S. with some remarkable outcomes:

Diabetes-related deaths decreased by 37% from 1999-2017.

Diabetic eye disease decreased by greater than 50% since 1999 in American Indian and Alaska Native adults.

Diabetes-related kidney failure new cases decreased by 54% from 1997-2013.

Hospitalizations for uncontrolled diabetes decreased by 84% between 2000-2015.

We must achieve similar successes across all population groups if we are to reverse the alarm- ing rates of diabetes and kidney disease in our region.

In 2019, 96 million Americans aged 18 and older had prediabetes. In 2017, the total cost of diagnosed diabetes was $327 billion; with $237 billion for direct medical costs and $90 billion in reduced productivity.

Average medical expenditures among people with diagnosed diabetes were 2.3 times higher than what expenditures would be in the absence of diabetes.

Prediabetes can be reversed in many cases before it leads to diabetes.

It is imperative that we identify early and act on factors responsible for these alarming numbers.

Start with this quick prediabetes risk test at tinyurl.com/yk96s2cv.

If your test score is five or higher, get in touch with your healthcare provider. If you do not have a healthcare provider, contact the health department and ask them for guidance, at 360-778-6000.

Let’s work on this together as a community.

-- Sandhya M. Gelou, MD is in private practice in Bellingham and volunteers with the Mount Baker Foundation Kidney Health Awareness initiative.