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DEH CHO
As part of November's diabetes awareness month, the Dehcho Health and Social Services Authority is working to educate more residents about diabetes and the problems that can arise if the disease goes unchecked.

Karen Simon, right, a community health representative with the Dehcho Health and Social Services Authority, pricks Troy Bradbury's finger so his blood sugar can be tested at a booth set up in Fort Simpson for World Diabetes Day last year. - NNSL file photo

Bernice Hardisty-Isaiah, health promotion officer, said there is a high rate of diabetes in the region.

"So, we really encourage people who are struggling with diabetes or know family members who might be in a high-risk area, encourage them to come and get checked," Hardisty-Isaiah said.

There are two types of diabetes. With type 1, the patient's pancreas doesn't produce insulin, a hormone that helps the body control the level of glucose in the blood. Type 2, on the other hand, is when the body doesn't produce enough insulin or doesn't properly use the hormone. In both cases, glucose builds up in the blood instead of being used for energy and this can cause problems.

"Left untreated or improperly managed, diabetes can result in a variety of complications, including heart disease, kidney disease, eye disease, problems with erection (impotence) and nerve damage," Randi Gill, communications manager with the Canadian Diabetes Association, stated in an e-mail.

"The first step in preventing or delaying the onset of these complications is recognizing the risk factors, as well as signs and symptoms of diabetes."

According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, aboriginal people are three times more likely to have diabetes than the general population. Aboriginal women in particular are very vulnerable to the disease, having more than four times the rate of non-aboriginal women.

There are a number of reasons for the increased risk among aboriginal populations, according to Damien Healy, spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Services.

The first being a separation from traditional lifestyles. The change has led to decreased physical activity and diets high in fats and carbohydrates, which has resulted in higher obesity rates.

Greater smoking rates among the population is another factor because smoking accelerates the disease process, he said.

"This is compounded by poorer social determinants of health such as poverty, low literacy and food insecurity," Healy said.

Gill recommended that residents aged 40 or older get tested for the disease at least every three years. Meanwhile, pregnant women should be screened for gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks using a glucose tolerance test.

"Scientists believe that lifestyle changes can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes," Gill said. "A healthy meal plan, weight control and physical activity are important prevention steps."

Also, residents who have the disease can take steps to manage it. Gill suggested that people take their medication as prescribed, manage stress effectively and keep their blood glucose levels within target range, among other things.

Hardisty-Isaiah said she plans to have an information session this month on how to manage diabetes. If residents are having trouble handling the disease, they should get in touch with the local health centre, she added.

"We can't really tell who is struggling until they come here and we find out their sugar is high or they have too many lows," she said.

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