CHRISTUS Spohn Center educates community on diabetes prevention and management

Tuesday, March 22, is the observance of the American Diabetes Association Diabetes Alert Day. Diabetes Alert Day is a one-day “wake-up call” focused on the seriousness of diabetes and the importance of understanding your risk. CHRISTUS Spohn Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Family Health Center is using this day to urge the Coastal Bend community to learn more about diabetes prevention and management. 
 
The health center offers the community a variety of tools in order to pre-diagnose, educate and manage diabetes. There are diabetes classes taught weekly by the Texas A&M Diabetes Education team. This is where patients can learn more about their diagnoses, medications and what they can do to keep it under control. The center also offers nutritional counselors and Community Health Workers to assist patients with diabetes resources and programs in the community. 
 
The health center recognizes the challenges some of the patients in the community may face when it comes to health care. For patients who are diagnosed with diabetes, there are free glucometers that are available, to help them manage the amount of sugar is in their blood. 
 
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2021 National Diabetes Statistic Report, there are 37.3 million people or 11.3% of the U.S. population who have diabetes. While an estimated 28.7 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately an estimated 8.5 million people are not aware they have this disease. It is common for those who have diabetes to first learn of the diagnosis while being treated for one of its life-threatening complications – heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve disease, and amputation. Diabetes continues to be the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. 
 
For more information on the CHRISTUS Spohn Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Family Health Center diabetes courses or resources, please call (361) 902-0900.