Diabetes Fact Sheet

• Nearly 1,000,000 adults, or about 7.6%, have been diagnosed with diabetes in Florida (2002).
• Approximately 300,000 to 400,000 adults have diabetes, but have not been diagnosed (2002).
• Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death among Floridians (2002).
• Diabetes and its complications occur among Floridians of all ages and racial/ethnic groups, but the elderly and certain racial/ethnic groups are more affected by the disease.
• It is estimated that 9,000 Floridians die each year due to complications of diabetes.
• 55% of people with diabetes die of coronary heart disease. · The risk of stroke is 2-4 times higher if you have diabetes.
• 39% of dialysis patients have diabetes in Florida (about 14,000 diabetics). One year of dialysis costs about $20,000 per person.
• 60%-70% have mild-to-severe nerve damage due to complications of diabetes.
• Good health care and self-management, as outlined in the Florida Diabetes Medical Practice Guidelines, can greatly improve the health outcome for people with diabetes.
• People who can control their diabetes by maintaining normal or close to normal blood sugar levels lower their risk of complications and gain, on average:
• 5 extra years of life;
• 5 more years of eyesight;
• 6 years free from kidney disease; and
• 6 years free from amputations and nerve damage.
• Enjoy a better quality of life.

The Florida Diabetes Prevention & Control Program

• The Diabetes Prevention & Control Program was funded as a core capacity state in September of 1996. Funding for the 2002-04 fiscal year is $650,000 or about .65 cents for each diagnosed Floridian with diabetes. Florida's success is achieved through the Florida Department of Health's position in Florida as having the important statewide functions of convener, assurance, and assessment. Additionally, extensive support of public and private partnerships assists the Diabetes Prevention & Control Program in improving health systems.

What We Know Works!!

Public health is the accepted convener in Florida to organize, implement, and evaluate strategies that improve the health outcomes for all people living with diabetes. The Diabetes Prevention & Control Program is works collaboratively for:

• Assuring an improved diabetes infrastructure.
• Improving health systems by promoting the use of the Florida Diabetes Medical Practice Guidelines as the gold-standard of care for all people with diabetes. It is also essential to establish networks of care for the uninsured and underinsured.
• Convening diverse partnerships for statewide opinions and project development.
• Empowering communities with funding and support to create interventions that work.
• Implementing statewide public service campaigns to increase awareness and decrease the number of undiagnosed Floridians with diabetes.
• Assessing and monitoring data changes for program direction and improvement.

Successful Projects Implemented by the Florida Diabetes Prevention & Control Program

• Implemented ten community-based diabetes education projects to reduce racial and ethnic health disparity. The program provides contract management.
• Marketed the Florida Diabetes Medical Practice Guidelines to managed care, subsidized care, and providers to adopt guidelines as standard of care.
• Created "waves" of public awareness on diabetes signs and symptoms, preventing complications, and conducted video teleconferences for health care providers.
• Established and maintains two community-based health system improvement projects.
• Developed and maintains a vibrant statewide partnership that completes health system improvement projects, such as a patient care diary, speaker's bureau for health care providers, and patient chart flow sheet.
• Reinitiated the governor-appointed Diabetes Advisory Council for statewide policy improvement.
• Serves on statewide partnerships on obesity prevention, cardiovascular disease, and flu shots.

Data that Supports Positive Changes

Positive and documented changes have resulted in the diabetes care system since the inception of the Florida program. The program monitors disease management practices among Florida adults with diabetes, as part of the state's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Data from 1998 and 1999 were compared to data from 1994 and 1996 (before the program was initiated). The data show an improvement in Floridians receiving the care needed to manage one's disease. The data further show an increase awareness of the important laboratory testing needed to manage the disease from before the program was initiated. For healthy outcomes, self-management and receiving needed care is essential. With this in mind, the following improvements are noted:

• Dilated retinal exams within the last twelve months, increased by 7.1 percent.
• Foot exams by a health care provider increased by 23.4 percent.
• Individuals who have ever heard of a Hemoglobin A1c test increased by 30.9 percent. This laboratory blood test is essential for measuring control of blood sugars for the preceding three months.

What Is Diabetes

Complications of Diabetes

Diabetes and Eye Conditions

Diabetes and Nephropathy

Groups Affected by Diabetes

Impact of Diabetes

Prevention of Diabetes

About Insulin

For more information about diabetes and how you can help increase awareness of this manageable disease, contact the Florida Department of Health Diabetes Prevention & Control Program at (850) 245-4330, or write to us: