Building diabetes awareness in the community
Diabetes Awareness Month feature: Part 3 of 3
“Diabetes is a condition that damages the heart, kidneys, nerves, eyes and blood vessels,” said Mikayla Huxley, a primary physician with Tennova Medical Group West Hills Clinic.
“For individuals, awareness could mean catching diabetes early before it causes this damage,” she said. “For the community, awareness is essential for prevention and empowerment of our members. When people understand risk factors and symptoms, they can take control of their health and improve their quality of life.”
“Tennessee ranks 45th in diabetes prevalence, with lower rankings indicating less rates of diabetes,” Huxley said. “As of 2023, about one in seven adults — 14 to 15 percent — in Tennessee have been diagnosed with diabetes. That’s more than 800,000 people statewide.
“Here in Knox County, diabetes is a leading health concern, with about 37 deaths per 100,000 residents linked to it each year as of 2020,” she said. “On top of this, there is a high rate of pre-diabetes in our area, which indicates a significant risk for developing diabetes in the future for these patients.”
According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes is an epidemic in the United States.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 38 million Americans have diabetes.
In Tennessee, ADA stated about 813,400 adults, or 13 percent of the adult population, have been diagnosed with diabetes.
“Every year, an estimated 49,000 adults in Tennessee are diagnosed with diabetes,”
it stated.
Of those numbers, Huxley said Type 2 is, by far, the most common, “as it accounts for about 90 to 95 percent of all cases of diabetes.”
Along with the physical complications — heart disease, stroke, amputation, end-stage kidney disease, blindness and death — “Americans with diabetes have medical expenses approximately 2.6 times higher than those without,” ADA
stated in a press release. “The total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States was $412.9 billion in 2002, including $306.6 billion
in direct medical costs and $106.3 billion in reduced
productivity attributable to diabetes.
“In Tennessee, diagnosed diabetes costs an estimated $10.2 billion each year,” ADA stated. “In 2022, total direct medical expenses for direct diabetes in Tennessee were estimated to be $7.4 billion. In addition, there were $2.8 billion in estimated indirect costs from lost productivity due to diabetes.”
In looking at the numbers, Huxley said, “Unfortunately, cases of Type 2 diabetes are increasing.
“What is driving this increase includes rising obesity rates, less physical activity and more processed food consumption, all of which are modifiable factors that increase risk for diabetes,” Huxley said. “Social factors, like limited access to healthy foods and safe places to exercise, play a big role, too.”
As a community, “We can improve access to healthy foods, create safe spaces for walking and exercise and host free blood-sugar screenings in our communities,” she advised. “Workplaces, schools and churches can promote wellness events and provide education.
“Most importantly, we can start more conversations about risk factors, mitigation of these risks and symptoms of diabetes,” Huxley added. “If our community prioritizes education and access to
resources for a healthy lifestyle, we can be proactive in prevention and treatment strategies.”
