Chicago Community Leaders Come Together to Confront the Diabetes Epidemic
21 June 2007 - 2:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Local Solutions Expected to Create Lasting Change with
African-Americans Living with Diabetes CHICAGO, June 20
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today, representatives of leading
community organizations and local health activists gathered
together -- with the goal to create both immediate and long-term
solutions to the management of the diabetes epidemic among
African-Americans in the Chicago area -- to initiate an important
dialogue about practical ways to overcome the obstacles that make
living with diabetes and successfully managing the condition a
particularly challenging burden for this community. Facilitated by
Eli Lilly and Company, the group is working together to create and
implement, by the end of this year, practical and sustainable
community programs that will foster attitudinal and
behavioral/lifestyle changes in areas critical to success in living
with diabetes. This gathering, the first of many planned over the
coming months, took place on the eve of the American Diabetes
Association 67th Scientific Sessions, the largest international
meeting of healthcare professionals dedicated to diabetes and its
associated conditions and complications, in Chicago, June 22 - 26.
"Diabetes affects everyone -- people living with the condition,
their families and communities," said Margaret Davis, RN, MSN,
Executive Director of the Healthcare Consortium of Illinois and
Disparities Chair, National Black Nurses Association. "As members
of the African-American community, we must continue to have honest
conversations about our challenges with diabetes and become change
agents to help stop the devastation diabetes causes." The need is
great. According to the National Institutes of Health,
African-Americans are 1.8 times more likely to have diabetes as
non-Hispanic whites, and 25 percent of African-Americans between
the ages of 65 and 74 have the disease.(i) It is not clear why
diabetes affects African-Americans more than others. Many factors
may contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes in certain
ethnic groups, including genetic predisposition, high calorie diet
and lack of physical activity.(ii) However, the most alarming
statistics relate to the disproportionate impact of the
complications of uncontrolled diabetes among African-Americans,
including blindness, kidney disease, lower extremity amputation,
heart disease, stroke and nerve damage.(iii) "We know that diabetes
has reached epidemic proportions, affecting over 240 million people
around the world.(iv) However, at Lilly, we recognize that there is
a lot of work to do right here in our own backyard to help people
who are disproportionately affected by diabetes, particularly
African-Americans," said Baryona Billington, Strategic Manager,
Diabetes Business Unit, Eli Lilly and Company. "Medical
intervention alone will not stop this epidemic. Lilly recognizes
the need to complement our focus on scientific research and product
advances with practical non-medical tools and community programs
that will help the millions of people living with diabetes achieve
greater success." The Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS)
estimates that nearly 700,000 adult Illinoisans (7.2 percent) have
diagnosed diabetes. Rates of diagnosed African-Americans (12
percent) are nearly double the average rate of Caucasians (6.4
percent).(v) Specifically in Chicago, the department of health
estimates that the overall prevalence of diabetes is 10.5 percent.
The rate of diabetes in African-American adults is estimated to be
even higher at 17.1 percent.(vi) Without intervention, it is likely
that this disturbing trend will continue to disproportionately
impact the overall health and welfare of African-American
communities in Chicago. "The alarming statistics on the impact of
diabetes among African-Americans in Chicago and Illinois are
symbolic of the epidemic on a national level," said 34th Ward
Alderman Carrie Austin. "As the Chairman of the Chicago City
Council Black Caucus, I am deeply committed to working with my
colleagues, local community leaders and members of local and
national health organizations to heighten awareness, educate and
develop hands-on solutions that will make a concrete difference for
African-Americans living with diabetes." Chicago-area community
leaders assisted Lilly in identifying the individuals and
organizations who participated in today's meeting. Participants
were invited on the basis of their personal or organizational
experience and commitment to addressing chronic health problems
plaguing Chicago's African-American community. Over the next three
to four months, this group will continue its dialogue and develop
resources and sustainable programs grounded in the African-American
community in Chicago. Based on the success of this community
organizing model, Lilly will evaluate convening similar groups in
other communities especially impacted by diabetes to create locally
relevant and sustainable solutions. "I am excited to be a part of
this collaborative effort that is dedicated to developing
innovative and sustainable solutions to help eliminate health
disparities," said Gary A. Puckrein, PhD, President and Chief
Executive Officer of the National Minority Quality Forum. "In the
United States, diabetes has become a national crisis, which is
myriad in the African-American community. We must now come together
to improve the science, and pool our resources and expertise so as
to create a practical end to this epidemic." About Eli Lilly and
Company Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is
developing a growing portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class
pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its
own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent
scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind.,
Lilly provides answers -- through medicines and information -- for
some of the world's most urgent medical needs. Additional
information about Lilly is available at http://www.lilly.com/.
O-LLY (i) African American and Diabetes Facts.
http://www.diabetes.org/communityprograms-and-
localevents/africanamerican/facts.jsp. Last accessed 15 June 2007.
(ii) American Diabetes Association. "Diabetes 4-1-1: Facts, Figures
and Statistics at a Glance," 2005. p.47 (iii) African American and
Diabetes Facts. http://www.diabetes.org/communityprograms-and-
localevents/africanamerican/facts.jsp. Last accessed 15 June 2007.
(iv) International Diabetes Federation. "Diabetes Prevelance.:
http://www.idf.org/home/index.cfm?node=264. Last accessed 15 June
2007. (v) "The Burden of Diabetes Fact Sheet." Aggregated Illinois
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Data, 2003-2005. Illinois
Department of Human Services. (vi) Aggregated Illinois Behavioral
Risk Factor Surveillance Data, 2005. Chicago Department of Health.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO )
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO DATASOURCE:
Eli Lilly and Company CONTACT: Morry Smulevitz, Eli Lilly and
Company, +1-317-457-3294; or Daphne Hoytt, Manning Selvage &
Lee, +1-917-406-2779
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