Caribbean360: Trinidadians not taking precautions with diabetes

Trinidadians not taking precautions with diabetes
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Chris Hoyos on 14/03/2012 13:06:00
 
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Wednesday March 14, 2012 – Diabetics in the
twin-island state are not taking care of their health.
According to a recently released study on diabetes care in Trinidad and Tobago,
diabetics were not taking care of their eyes and feet or having the necessary
checks done on a regular basis.
And director of the Diabetes Outreach Programme with the Health Sciences
Initiatives, Dr. Paul Ladenson is warning that complications such as heart
disease, stroke, blindness, amputations and end-stage renal disease, could
result if diabetics do not take care of their bodies.
According to the study, only two thirds of diabetics visited a doctor or nurse
regularly for care of their condition, 28 per cent visit an optician, and a mere
nine percent receive a foot exam over a one year period.
The survey also showed that heart disease was one of the more commonly reported
complications of diabetes, with 24 per cent of those participating in the survey
admitting to having the disease.
During the survey that was conducted between June 2010 and March 2011 also
revealed that seven per cent of those interviewed suffered a stroke, 13 per cent
suffered foot ulcers and amputations, 13 per cent had damaged retinas, 51 per
cent had high cholesterol, and a whopping 67 per cent suffered with
hypertension.
Furthermore, five per cent of the 2, 124 people surveyed had kidney damage, and
41 per cent had nerve damage. Two thirds of the participants were also
overweight or obese with poor metabolic control especially in women and
children.
And, Dr. Ladenson, has made it clear that diabetes was the likely the leading
cause of blindness and foot amputations in the twin-island state.
According to him, the country was facing an epidemic that could result in
significant consequences if left unchecked.
Meanwhile, President of the Academy of Diabetes Clinicians of T&T, Dr. Claude
Khan also expressed concerns over what he termed an explosion of diabetes in the
country, and called for more resources for its primary care to avoid serious and
life threatening complications. Click here to receive free news bulletins via
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