Diabetes in F.N. Communities

Diabetes has become a disabling and deadly disease within the First Nations suffering a rate three to five times more than that of the general Canadian population.  According to the Assembly of F.N. 2005 agenda for restoring and improving first nations health, the health of F.N. people is as important as the health of the individual promoting health, preventing disease and protecting the health of communities is pivotal in any collective action.

Community health planning and the understanding of the broader determinants of health must be led by the very communities who know intimately the problems of food, security, safe water, overcrowding and other issues facing their people.  Only then will chronic disease prevention, including injuries and substance abuse, do well as other urgent public health problems facing communities be successfully tackled.

Many First Nations over the age of 35 or older had or have become diagnosed with Diabetes and not have known the complications associated with this disease.  AFN did a report on Diabetes along with the Canadian Diabetes Association model.  It lays down the groundwork in six key areas; prevention, treatment, education, policy development, research and surveillance. 

It begins to discuss Diabetes health indicators in each of these areas with a focus on adult health from a national perspective.  These diabetes health indicators are the policy tools which will help to identify the gaps, priorities, opportunities and promising strategies that will help to inform decisions about how to best allocate resources in reducing the burden of diabetes among First Nations people.

Meegwetch,

Arlene

References:  http:www.nada.ca/wp-content/uploads/504pdf.

                      Assembly of First Nations website