BengalNews Reporters
The growth of the refugee population on the West Side might be fueling the growth of an epidemic of diabetes, a University at Buffalo researcher says.
According to the American Diabetes
Association,
25.8 million children and adults in the United States, which entail 8.3 % of
the population, have diabetes.
Dr. Linda S. Kahn, a medical
anthropologist from the University of Buffalo Family Medicine, chose to study
individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds to see how different people
perceive and are affected by the condition. She worked with Jericho Road Family
Practice, a faith-based clinical organization that provides direct primary care
to a diverse population, to study 34 individuals diagnosed with diabetes.
Dr. Linda Kahn, on the impact of diabetes research:
According to Kahn, people come to Jericho Road, with various symptoms and are unaware that they are even suffering from diabetes until they are tested.
“Depending on the country of origin or
the camps they lived in, some of these refugees usually did not receive
preventative care,” said Kahn. “Many of the patients were surprised or shocked
because they didn’t know they were living with the condition.”
Some of the patients suffered from
uncontrolled diabetes because they were not being treated properly for their
conditions. Others did not even have opportunities to seek medical attention in
their native countries.
“There was such disconnect because the
people didn’t actually know what was happening to their bodies or blood sugars
when they ate carbohydrates,” said Kahn.
Once the refugees come to the United States, they are faced with a health-care system iin which docotrs dont' have time to deliver diabetes education, Kahn said.
Once the refugees come to the United States, they are faced with a health-care system iin which docotrs dont' have time to deliver diabetes education, Kahn said.
“With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, more people are being
covered for healthcare, but there is a shortage of doctors,” said Kahn. “There
is just not enough time to go around and doctors have less time to educate.”
To address the situation, the University at Buffalo Family Medicine along
with the Primary Care Research Institute was awarded a two-year grant from the
New York State Health Foundation to train two minority professions from the Buffalo
community to become certified diabetes educators.
Two women from varying backgrounds were
selected to be trained as certified diabetes educators. As part of their
rigorous training, they both sacrificed their jobs and incomes in order to
learn how to educate the community.
Rona D’Aniello, Certified Diabetes
Educator of the Year and University at Buffalo Family Medicine Diabetes
Education Program Coordinator, played a major role in the education of these
women and prepared both of them in less than a year to take their certification
exams.
Upon completion of their training, Jericho Road hired these
women at both the East and West Side locations in order to address the needs of
patients dealing with the diabetes. When patients visit with their doctor,
the doctor will give the diagnosis and then suggest talking to the diabetes
educators in order to gain additional information and treatment for the
condition.
According to D’Aniello, with the help of
the program and certified diabetes education, many refugees from the West Side will
have new knowledge and perspectives of the disease.
“Many of these refugees who come to
America aren’t even aware of what diabetes are and with this program they can
now be educated on how to cope and learn different ways to take care of their
health as it pertains to diabetes,” said D’Aniello.
According to Eric Budin, Director of
Partner Development at Jericho Road Family Practice, having diabetes educators
at the practice has created a proactive relationship between the practice and
the patients because those living with diabetes can now be informed and
properly treated for the condition.
“By having a team of professions on board
including diabetes educators, we have been able to create an all-around
holistic health care center that we believe has made a difference within the
community” said Budin. Edited by Mhairi Moorhead
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