FAQs about testing and injecting in public and at work



		Islets of Hope diabetes civil rights laws



		Article disclaimer This article and the original publication PA-03-2006 were written by Lahle Wolfe; revised 12/2006 "Ask The Lawyer" - Hosted by California appellate specialist attorney Jeffrey I. Ehrlich. Post legal questions about health insurance and diabetes discrimination in school and the workplace. Free publications from Islets of Hope See all our publications Diabetes and civil rights law: *An overview of your legal right to equal access to programs, benefits, opportunity, accommodations, education, and employment.* Covers legal rights to equal access to benefits, accommodations and opportunity, and the right to administer diabetes related self-care in public places and at work. Great for anyone who wants to know what the law says about diabetes accomodations, care, and descrimination at work, in schools, and in public places. Includes comprehensive information and examples. Covers the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act, and Individuals with Disabilities Education Assistance. Also, tells where and how to file discrimination complaints. IOH Publication PA-04-2006; 32 pages. Revised 12/06. Diabetes Legislative Headline News Archives Click to visit Education Your Child's Right to an Education Diabetes-Friendly Schools A list of schools by state that have been reported to IOH by parents who have had positive experiences and feel that school staff provided exemplary care for their child with diabetes. Schools That Discriminate A list of schools by state that have been reported to IOH for discrimination against students with diabetes, or, for providing substandard care the compromises a child's health and/or education. Drum/Zierenberg The Diabetes Type 2 Sourcebook				Frequently asked questions about administering diabetes care in public and the work place This article contains excerpts from Islets of Hope publication PA-03-2006. You can view and print the publication in its original format at PA-03-2006. Download free Adobe software to read our publications in .pdf format Diabetes affects us all Diabetes now accounts for more than 7% of the entire United States population. This number is growing at an alarming and epidemic rate. The chances are high that you will encounter someone with diabetes in public, the work place, or even someone in your own family or circle of friends may be diagnosed with diabetes. Understanding and tolerance are necessary on both the part of a person with diabetes and those in the general population so that people with diabetes can test blood sugars and inject insulin whenever necessary – even in public places and at work and in schools. Diabetes is incurable. It is a life sentence to regimented lifestyle and shots. If diabetes care is compromised for fear of public scrutiny, it can have long-lasting effects on society as a whole because of the high cost of diabetes complications – most of which can be prevented by tight control of blood sugars. You can help those living with diabetes by understanding supporting their need to test blood sugars and inject insulin, even at times where it may seem inappropriate to people around them. Persons with diabetes can and should try to be aware of how their self-care might affect other people. They should ensure public safety by properly disposing of all sharps used in testing and injecting. By turning potentially confrontational situations around and helping to educate others about diabetes by addressing public concerns rather then being defensive, the more likely we are to all pool together to find a cure for diabetes. Diabetes statistics In 1995 an estimated 135 million people world-wide had diabetes. In 2006 that number had climbed to 194 million. By the year 2050 the estimated number of persons with diabetes will is projected to be around 333 million. 1.5 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed annually in persons aged 20 and older. Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. The risk of premature death for a person with diabetes is two times greater than that of people without diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of all new cases of blindness in people aged 20 to 74. Diabetes is the leading cause of all treated end-stage renal kidney disease, accounting for 44% of all cases. Diabetes currently represents 19% of the total cost of health care in the United States 60-70% of all patients with diabetes suffer nerve damage as a complication of high blood sugars (hyperglycemia). People with diabetes account for more than 60% of all non-accidental amputations of lower limbs (toes, feet, legs). Each year more than 82,000 amputations were performed on persons with diabetes due to complications of their disease. People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from a stroke than non-diabetic persons. Depression strikes people with diabetes at double the rate of the general population. Statistics from “The Impact of the Epidemic: United States Diabetes Fact Sheet.” 12/26/2006 How do we improve these statistics? The largest study ever conducted on diabetes and blood sugar control is called the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT). This study showed that keeping blood sugars under tight control dramatically reduced the risk and diabetes complications. In fact, the DCCT showed: “All DCCT participants were monitored for diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that affects the retina. Study results showed that intensive therapy reduced the risk for developing retinopathy by 76 percent. In participants with some eye damage at the beginning of the study, intensive management slowed the progression of the disease by 54 percent.”⁽⁴⁾ “Participants in the DCCT were tested to assess the development of diabetic kidney disease (nephropathy). Findings showed that intensive treatment prevented the development and slowed the progression of diabetic kidney disease by 50 percent.”⁽⁴⁾ “Participants in the DCCT were examined to detect the development of nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy). Study results showed the risk of nerve damage was reduced by 60 percent in persons on intensive treatment.”⁽⁴⁾ The conclusions of the DCCT support a person’s need to test blood sugars and inject insulin whenever it is required (intensive insulin therapy). To delay, and leave high blood sugars untreated, dramatically contributes to the likelihood of developing serious, long-term complications later. For more information about the DCCT visit http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/control/ [FAQs index page 1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [back] [next page]



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