Published: October 21, 2005
FOUR DC AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN WITH DIABETES HIGHLIGHTED ON EDUCATIONAL CD-ROM
 |
|
The four women whose
stories are examined in Diabetes CD-ROM |
Washington, DC (BlackNews.com) - Diabetes: Living My Best Life, an educational CD-ROM, combines a technology-based interface with culturally engaging content for African American women working to manage type 2 diabetes. Today there are 60,000 people in the District of Columbia with type 2 diabetes.
"The result of those tests after exercising was really rewarding. I could see the number right away, from that morning number to that number after exercising. So that's keeping me motivated," reports Faith, an African-American woman in her 50's with type 2 diabetes, who is featured in the Exercise section of the CD-ROM.
Type 2 diabetes has reached epidemic status among African-American women, with one in four African American women older than age 55 reported as having the disease. This rate is two times higher than in white American women.
In the last 12 years the percentage of African Americans with diabetes has doubled from 8.9% to 18.2%. African-American women are twice as likely as white women to be diagnosed with diabetes and once diagnosed African-American women are more likely to experience severe complications, such as kidney disease and blindness. Diabetes with its related complications is the fourth leading cause of death in the African-American community and the fifth leading cause nationwide.
There is no cure for diabetes. The progression of the disease is managed through medication and changes toward a healthier lifestyle. Lifestyle modifications, such as changes in diet, weight loss, and a low-impact exercise program, can significantly reduce the complications of type 2 diabetes. However, implementing these lifestyle changes and understanding appropriate health care and medication regimens can be a challenge.
According to Gretchen Youssef, Program Director of the MedStar Diabetes Institute, "There is a real shortage of diabetes educators and we need to look at many different ways to meet the needs of a vast number of patients with type 2 diabetes." Ms. Youssef, who is responsible for 30,000 patients in the Washington, D.C.-based MedStar Health System, continues, "Diabetes: Living My Best Life includes the psychosocial aspects of managing the disease and provides a cross-cultural bridge to better serve African-American women."
Most African-American women with type 2 diabetes report a sedentary lifestyle and a high-fat diet. To date few educational materials have targeted this vulnerable population. HealthMark Multimedia developed Diabetes: Living My Best Life to address this scarcity of training and educational materials for African-American women diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
"I do eat more fruits and vegetables now. I did not think I would like the different types of vegetables, until I tried flavoring them," claims Angel in her early 40's, who tells her story in the Food and Nutrition section.
About Diabetes: Living My Best Life
Diabetes: Living My Best Life uses the tradition of African-American storytelling
to engage users in diabetes education and self-management planning. Four
African-American women with type 2 diabetes share their experiences to
provide a framework for understanding the real-life challenges of monitoring
blood sugar levels, planning food and nutrition, increasing exercise and
physical activity, and improving medical care.
Betty in her early 60's has used the techniques in this CD-ROM to manage her care through careful monitoring of her blood sugar levels. "I have been able to manage my blood sugar with exercise and eating properly."
Accompanying each story is in-depth educational content and interactive tools for skills practice in reading food labels, controlling portions, monitoring blood sugar, overcoming exercise barriers, and other essential tasks related to self-management. Computer simulations and learning activities enhance retention and encourage application through skill rehearsal and self-testing. Music, individual self-assessment and feedback help motivate and encourage users. Printable fact sheets and follow-up questions help implement personal goals and facilitate communication with health care providers, Tangie, in her early 50's, relates how she has learned to deal with her diabetic neuropathy, a disease of the nerve endings. "I met with specialists about various complications I have. It so happens that mine [neuropathy] is in my legs. It's caused me some serious problems."
Initial feedback from women in Washington, DC who have used the CD-ROM has been very positive, with measurably improved knowledge of the disease. A 78 year-old who has had diabetes for a number of years noted that she hadn't known that she was supposed to call the doctor when her blood sugar was 350 [mg/dl] or go to the hospital when it reached 500 [mg/dl]. A woman who had been diagnosed just a year ago stated that she learned a lot that she didnt know. Women also noted various ways that having the CD ROM enabled them to build awareness of diabetes in their family and community.
Diabetes: Living My Best Life is designed to be used by health professionals, diabetes educators, counselors, churches, and individuals with type 2 diabetes and their family caregivers. The institutional version that includes a CD-ROM for unlimited users and the instructor's guide, Diabetes: Living My Best Life: Guide for Diabetes Education, is now available at www.DiabetesBestLife.com
About HealthMark Multimedia
HealthMark Multimedia, LLC, a certified woman-owned business, combines
graphics, audio, video, and text to develop award-winning interactive,
user-friendly software and web sites for patient education, self-management,
and decision making. HealthMark Multimedia uses an established network
of medical experts, as well as patients and lay caregivers to review and
test products for accuracy, relevance, and usefulness.
For further information about the company, its products, and licensing opportunities, contact HealthMark Multimedia: 1828 L Street, NW, #250, Washington, DC 20036; Telephone: 202-265-0033; Fax: 202-448-6188.
HealthMark Multimedia's homepage: www.HealthMarkMultimedia.com
Click Here to email this page to a friend |
