November is Diabetes Awareness Month

Posted by fsteele on November 17th, 2023 Posted in: Uncategorized

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Most people think of November for Thanksgiving, but it is also National Diabetes Month. According to the NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, “Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. It affects about 37 million Americans, including adults and youth. Diabetes can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart, and it is linked to some types of cancer.” This year’s theme is Take Charge of Tomorrow: Preventing Diabetes Health Problems. The theme is aimed to help build awareness and support people in managing their diabetes care.

One of National Institutes of Health institutes, The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has created a toolkit for the month which contain resources and flyers available to promote diabetes health problems prevention: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/community-health-outreach/national-diabetes-month/toolkit

This Month the NNLM Reading Club is focusing on Diabetes with three new book selections:

• Needles: a memoir of growing up with diabetes
• Breakthrough: Elizabeth Hughes, the discovery of insulin, and the making of a medical miracle
• Sugar High: the unexpected journey of an inexperience Type 1 Diabetic

In addition to the books, there are other resources and videos from the National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus and the American Diabetes Association that can be used by libraries for health promotion and programming.

NNLM has previously offered training webinar related the topic of diabetes.

Using Technology to Combat Fake News: The Impact of Misinformation on Chronic Condition Self-Management Behaviors. This webinar discussed making appropriate health information more accessible to patients, and therefore lessening the likelihood of misinformation related to the self-management of diabetes.  Speakers described the implementation of interventions design to reinforce self-care practices and daily decision making among patients managing a chronic disease.

One of National Institutes of Health institutes, The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases offers the following tips for preventing diabetes health problems:

• Manage your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
• Take small steps toward healthy habits.
• Take your medicines on time.
• Reach or maintain a healthy weight.
• Take care of your mental health.
• Work with your health care team.

And lastly, while Thanksgiving meals tend to be loaded with carbs and sugars, there are ways for diabetics to enjoy the meal while managing the disease.  The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center provides a useful guide for diabetics on how to eat healthy and a few diabetes friendly recipes.

This post was written by Meghan Hupe, Director of Information & Delivery Services, Dalgren Memorial Library, The Graduate Health & Life Sciences Research Library at Georgetown University Medical Center.