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What is Operation Diabetes? While the early stages of the disease may be nearly symptom-free, complications can arise, seriously threatening the health and wellness of the individual. In fact, diabetes was the fifth leading cause of death by disease in the United States in 2002. Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is about 2 times that of people without diabetes. Diabetes is also the leading cause of new blindness and vision loss in adults creating up to 24,000 new cases a year from diabetic neuropathy. Not only do diabetics often experience vision complications, but many suffer from end stage renal failure (ESRD). In fact, diabetes is the most common cause of ESRD. Cardiovascular disease is also 2 to 4 times more common in diabetics compared to the general public, and their risk for stroke is 2 to 4 times higher. Over half of patients with diabetes suffer from hypertension, and more than 82,000 amputations of a foot or leg are performed due to peripheral vascular disease related to diabetes. A large portion of healthcare resources are spent on diabetes complications. Annual healthcare costs for diabetics are nearly 3.6 times that of non-diabetics. Eight percent of hospital admissions and 3% of all outpatient visits relate to diabetes. In 2002, $132 billion was spent on the diabetic treatment. More than 50% of the cost directly relates to medical treatment; the rest reflects indirect costs, for example lost workdays, disability and premature death. In relation to the total US healthcare expenditure, diabetes accounts for approximately 11% of that spent. These alarming statistics shout concern among pharmacists, student pharmacists and other healthcare providers. In an effort to prevent long-term manifestations of the disease, the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) has launched Operation Diabetes sponsored by Rite Aid. Operation Diabetes is a promotional campaign designed to increase awareness of diabetes and the dangers associated with the disease, provide glucose screening and monitoring, and promote pharmaceutical care in the community. Our goal is not to diagnose diabetes, but rather to provide information to the public in order for them to become more knowledgeable about the disease and to be able to recognize signs and symptoms of diabetes. As one of the most accessible health care professionals, pharmacists can directly impact the management of diabetes in patients. By directly involving pharmacists in diabetes management and screening, we hope to help identify those who may not have been identified in the past, help patients manage their diabetes, and ultimately prevent long-term complications of the disease. A planning guide is sent to each of the APhA-ASP chapters to help them implement, manage and market a diabetes management and screening campaign in communities nationwide. Included in the notebook are a timeline that provides a step by step approach on how to run the campaign and promotional materials that can be used for Operation Diabetes. As student pharmacists and as future health care providers, we can show how the pharmacy profession is an excellent resource in helping combat morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes. |
