Liver cancer problem blamed on diabetes

Mysanantonio.com: By Don Finley, Thursday, April 5, 2012.

Trying to make sense of the large and growing problem of liver cancer among South Texas Hispanics, a local group of researchers believes that diabetes might be largely to blame.

In a paper presented Tuesday at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Chicago, the researchers say a 22 percent rise in liver cancer rates among South Texas Hispanics over a 10-year period paralleled a similar rise in diabetes.

“We know there are a number of risk factors that impact liver cancer, but none of them were going up with the same kind of trend that we’re seeing for diabetes,” said Dr. Amelie Ramirez, professor of epidemiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center.

San Antonio’s high rates of liver cancer have generated both concern and controversy — especially in neighborhoods surrounding the former Kelly AFB, where some residents believe pollution from the shuttered base is to blame. Read More

Scientists Redraw the Blueprint of the Body’s Biological Clock

ScienceDaily (Apr. 5, 2012) — The discovery of a major gear in the biological clock that tells the body when to sleep and metabolize food may lead to new drugs to treat sleep problems and metabolic disorders, including diabetes.

Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, led by Ronald M. Evans, a professor in Salk’s Gene Expression Laboratory, showed that two cellular switches found on the nucleus of mouse cells, known as REV-ERBα and REV-ERBβ, are essential for maintaining normal sleeping and eating cycles and for metabolism of nutrients from food.

The findings, reported March 29 inNature, describe a powerful link between circadian rhythms and metabolism and suggest a new avenue for treating disorders of both systems, including jet lag, sleep disorders, obesity and diabetes. Read more

The Impact of Adherence to Screening Guidelines and of Diabetes Clinics Referral on Morbidity and Mortality in Diabetes

Plosone.org: April 3, 2012.

Despite the heightened awareness of diabetes as a major health problem, evidence on the impact of assistance and organizational factors, as well as of adherence to recommended care guidelines, on morbidity and mortality in diabetes is scanty. We identified diabetic residents in Torino, Italy, as of 1st January 2002, using multiple independent data sources. We collected data on several laboratory tests and specialist medical examinations to compare primary versus specialty care management of diabetes and the fulfillment of a quality-of-care indicator based on existing screening guidelines (GCI). Then, we performed regression analyses to identify associations of these factors with mortality and cardiovascular morbidity over a 4 year- follow-up. Patients with the lowest degree of quality of care (i.e. only cared for by primary care and with no fulfillment of GCI) had worse RRs for all-cause (1.72 [95% CI 1.57–1.89]), cardiovascular (1.74 [95% CI 1.50–2.01]) and cancer (1.35 [95% CI 1.14–1.61]) mortality, compared with those with the highest quality of care. Read More

Nurse-created ‘Food for Life’ program incorporates healthy practices rooted in Native American culture

Going back to their native roots has been a brilliant concept for Native Americans in the Southwest who have participated in pilot programs to reduce diabetes and its long-term effects.

Caroline Trapp, RN, MSN, CNP, BC-ADM, CDE, conceived the Native American Food for Life series — where small groups of Native Americans in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, N.M., and Window Rock, Ariz., attended eight classes about cooking and nutrition using plant-based foods.

The results have been gratifying for participants and staff, Trapp said, as Native Americans have learned how to adjust their food choices and cooking style, which has brought about weight loss and blood glucose control.

Native Americans are disproportionately affected by diabetes, Trapp said. In some tribal communities, 30% to 50% of adults have type 2 diabetes, along with complications.  Read More

Building Capacity to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes: Training Community Health Workers Using an Integrated Distance Learning Model

Sage Journals: April 6, 2012.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether an innovative interactive distance training program is an effective modality to train community health workers (CHWs) to become members of the diabetes health care team. The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center has developed a rigorous diabetes training program for CHWs involving both distance and hands-on learning as part of Project ECHO^™ (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes).

Methods

Twenty-three diverse CHW participants from across New Mexico were enrolled in the first training session. Participants completed surveys at baseline and at the end of the program. They attended a 3-day hands-on training session, followed by weekly participation in tele/video conferences for 6 months. Wilcoxon signed-rank statistics were used to compare pre- and posttest results. Read More

Effect of a Short-Duration Culturally Tailored Community-Based Diabetes Self-Management Intervention for Korean Immigrants: a Pilot Study

Sage Journals: April 6, 2012.

The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of a short-duration, culturally tailored, community-based diabetes self-management program (CTCDSP) for Korean immigrants with type 2 diabetes delivered at a non-clinic-affiliated community center.

Methods

Forty-one Korean adults with type 2 diabetes participated in a 2-session CTCDSP delivered by a bilingual nurse practitioner at a Korean community center. Outcome measures included biological, behavioral, and general health well-being; diabetes knowledge; and self-efficacy assessed at baseline, post-education, and 3-month follow-up. Repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to explore mean differences in outcomes across the 3 assessment points. Read More

National Partnership for Action

Minorityhealth.hhs.gov: April 4, 2012.

In April 1915, Dr. Booker T. Washington dispatched a letter to the leading African American newspapers, proposing the observance of “National Negro Health Week.” Health was the key to progress and equity in all other things, he argued: “Without health and long life, all else fails.” He called on local health departments, schools, churches, businesses, professional associations, and the most influential organizations in the African-American community to “pull together” and “unite… in one great National Health Movement.”

That observance grew into what is today a month-long initiative to advance health equity across the country, on behalf of all racial and ethnic minorities – National Minority Health Month. Read More