Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Nov. 16, 1989, edition 1 / Page 11
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Community News B1 Diabetes becoming major By ROBIN BARKSDALE Community News Editor It's the third leading cause of death among Afro-Americans, and many are walking around with a disease they don't even know they have. Diabetes is a little talked about affliction, but it is an illness that rapid ly is increasing among the Afro-American population. "The rate of diabetes among blacks has grown dramatically in the last 10 years or so," said Cindy Heilig, director of the regional office of the American Diabetes Association based in Greensboro. "Probably one half of those adults don't know they have diabetes." Diabetes is a disease which prevents the pancreas from producing enough insulin to metabolize or "burn up" all the sugar and starches i?ti .srs; ? f -?* ? ?' Hpf *1? IS1H .... I "ills ? W-v v-SSStSKv : * : %t ? i m in-a person's body. The disease is usually more easily detected in chil dren because they are more inclined to suffer from type I diabetes, which makes them insulin-dependent. Most Afro-Americans suffer from type II, non-insulin dependent dia betes, which usually shows up in adulthood. The fact that diabetes strikes Afro-American adults more fre quently than Afro-American chil dren makes it more difficult to detect in the early stages. "The adult onset sort of dia betes will rarely be serious enough at fu st to am act much attention," Henning said Dr. Marc Browning, a member of the pediatries department at Bow iiill I i iBl s; l|l|l? %v:; v.v lllilil * 8 Wm INS IK f (Mppl *%M V Wi man Gray School of Medicine. "They won't notice much until it gets more complicated." More than 90 percent of Afro-Americans with diabetes suffer from the type II non-insulin sort. And although insulin-dependent diabetes does occur in Afro-Americans, it appears at a lower rate than in the white popu lation. Afro-Americans with either type of diabetes are especially suscepti ble to complications affecting the kidneys, nerves and eyes. Afro-Ameri cans with type II diabetes also are at special risk of hardening of the arter ies, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes. Dr. Browning said that researchers and doctors still are searching for clues as to why there has been such a dramatic climb in the number of Afro-Americans with diabetes. Before 1940, there was little research avail able on the prevalence of diabetes within the minority community, particu larly among Afro-Americans. During the 1960s, studies indicated that the rate of diabetes. Sihong Alto-TUMtfcahs *hd Whites iii ffie Uriiled States was similar. But by 1975, the occurrence rale among Afro-Americans pulled ahead of the white population and has climbed steadily ever since. In 1987, the North Carolina affiliate of the ADA formed the Minority Development Committee, a task force established to specifically monitor diabetes among the. state's minority populations and to implement aware ness programs to address the problem. "The committee was formed to address the concerns of all minority people in North Carolina ^md especially blacJc^?opte"1rrrelaiion to dia^ betes,H said Ms. Heilig, who also is the director of the committee. "We want to raise awareness and address this problem." Ms. Heilig said that the most recent studies suggest that heredity and environmental habits affect the Afro-American most strongly with respect to contracting diabetes. But she said that genetics and environmental influ ence is a complicated mixture. THE FACTS ? Diabetes is the third leading cause of death among Afro-Americans. ? Afro-Americans between the ages of 45 and . 65 have twice as much diabetes as do whites in the same age group ? Over the age of 65, Afro-Americans have nearly three times as much diabetes as whites. ? One In four Afro-American women older than 55 has diabetes ? double the rate of white women. ? Afro-Americans with diabetes experience higher rates of complications such as blind ness, amputation and end-stage renal disease. Physicians have determined that diet, exercise and stress are important environmental factors with respect to diabetes. Dr. Browning said that dietary habits have very serious bearings on diabetes and the control of the illness. Afro-Americans who have diets high in fats and simple sugars are at a greater risk of obesity, and obesity has been closely linked with dia betes. ? -- Both Ms. Heilig and Dr. Browning said that many older Afro-Ameri cans live with diabetes for years before they even are aware that they have it Or. Browning said that in adults, the symptoms of diabetes may be mis taken for some other ailment and not immediately taken care of or investi gated. That delay, he said, could have devastating effects. "It needs to be treated. In the long-term it could be very detrimental/ said Or. Browning. "A significant number of diabetes patients will develop the problems with eyes, kidneys and nerves that make diabetes a very Important medical concern." Randy Henning, the president of the Forsyth County chapter of the AO A, said that diabetes has not been as popular a disease as cancer or heart disease. That fact, he said, has created many misconceptions about diabetes and has resulted in a lack of awareness about the illness. "Oiabetes is a complicated disease," he said, "It deals with insulin, what you eat, your physical activity and your psychology." Mr. Henning said that he knew nothing about the illness until his son was diagnosed as being a diabetic. His son, who now is 8, takes at lost two insulin shots each day and has his finger pricked about four timls daily in order to perform blood checks. "You learn about diabetes real quick, especially with a son," said Mr. Henning. "It's a very disciplined disease. If you don't have discipline, you canUiave a lot of problems. Most people have the general misconception that it's controlled by insulin injection and that's it There's more to it than that. Oiabetes is a disease you have to live with. It's a way of life." Or. Browning said that the treatment of type II diabetes includes an attempt to change dietary habits. Foods high in sugar and fat are replaced with lean meats and fresh fruits and vegetables. People that are overweight are encouraged to lose weight. Mr. Henning said that few if any Afro-Americans have been involved with the local chapter. He admits that part of that problem may be due to the fact that the local chapter, in the past, has been perceived as an elitist group. Whatever the reasons, he said, he wants to encourage all diabetes patients to become involved with the chapter.? "I understand from some other people that the chapter had been thought of as an upper-crust, kind of 'Buena Vista organization* because of where it meets (at First Christian Church on Country Club Road). I don't live anywhere near Buena Vista," he said. "I want to get everyorifi involved with this chapter. I don't care who they are. We want them in thif^roup." November has been declared National Oiabetes Month and the state affiliate is sponsoring a daylong seminar Nov. 18 in Raleigh. The theme is "Education Through Sharing." Ms. Heilig said that she has been hoping that a minority diabetes patient will take the initiative to form a branch of the minority task force in Winston-Salem. "I'd like to develop a committee in Winston-Salem," she said. "I need someone to take the initiative. It basically just involves contacting me and getting the process started. I'd love for there to be a committee in Winston Salem to address this problem." For more information on the ADA, diabetes in general or the Minori ty Development Cortinttlfci, contact Ms. Heilig ai J-800-662-9692 or call Debbie Harris in Raleigh at 870-1885. By ROBIN BARKSDALE Community News Editor Tamarian Mclntyre loves to talk about "Daring to Be Different," and her candid discussion of avoid ing the path to drug addiction has earned her a place in the finals of a statewide oratorical contest. The competition is sponsored annually by housing authorities in cities across the state. Tamarian, a 13-year-old student at Cook Middle School, is among six finalists that will present their anti-drug essays at the state housing authority confer ence on crime prevention in Raleigh this weekend. The semi final competition was held at Win ston-Salem's Happy Hill Garden Community Center two weeks ago. Tamarian said she selected the "Dare to Be Different" theme for her essay because she has seen many of her friends lose the fight against peer pressure to join the crowd and take drugs. "That was just the first thing that came to my mind," said Tamar ian, who competed against 12 other students from across North Carolina and one student from South Caroli na. "You don't have to follow the crowd. There is peer pressure but you don't have to go along with it. A lot of kids do, though. I just wanted to say that there is some thing different to do and that there is nothing wrong with being differ ent. When friends try to force you to do something, you shouldn't do IT " Growing up in an area sur rounded by drug users is not easy, Tamarian said. She said, too, that such circumstances don't mean that 'Dare to Be Different' theme earns teen spot in contest finals Photo by Mike Cunningham Tamarian Mclntyre will represent Winston-Salem during the oratorical contest portion of the state housfhg authority's con ference on crime prevention. Ms. Mclntyre focused her anti drug essay on the theme, "Dare to Be Different." it's okay for children to do what they see older people doing. In her address at the semi-final competi tion, she told the youth in the audi ence that living in a public housing facility does not make them bad people or people who have to turn to drugs. She described drug use as a short road to a quick end" and said that "my choice not to use drugs is my gift to God." The chal lenge, she told them, is to know that they can make something of them selves despite the things that they sec as they grow up. "Tu me. it's hard. Nurbeing with the crowd isn't easy because you feel left out and different," said Tamanan. "But if you really want to be drug-free, you have to stay away from friends that use drugs." Tarn an an said that she has seen friends get hooked on drugs, and she is proud that she has not fol lowed their lead. She said that her mother has had the biggest impact on her decision to stay drug-free. "I haven't turned to drugs because of my mother," she said. "She always told me about not doing drugs." Her mother, Wanda, hardly could keep still as her daughter delivered her speech at the Happy Hill Center. She quietly repeated every word with Tamanan, hanging nervously on the edge of her seat until she had completed the poem that she wrote to wrap up her essay. "I was probably more nervous than she was. People kept telling me to be still,M said Ms. Mclntyre. "I was just so nervous for her, but I was very proud of her, too. She put a lot of effort into her speech. We live in a community where we see so much of this (drug abuse). It has n't happened to her but it has hap pened to a lot of other kids." Lucille Ransby, crime preven tion coordinator for the City of Winston-Salem Housing Authority said that the purpose of the oratori cal contest is to get young residents of public housing facilities involved in meaningful activities and to expose them to a variety of experi ences. "I contend that involvement is the key," she said. "They'll be trav eling to other areas to participate. They get exposure in the city and then they go on to other cities. In the past, we had a different format, but three years ago, we decided to move into the educational arena with an oratorical contest. This helps the children learn to speak well and to speak in front of groups." Bettye F. Jackson, housing management specialist for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said that the young people participating in the contest represented youth who have made conscious decisions not to lose their life to drugs and crime. ^ "They have made choices to be here- instead uf sumewhere gelling high or committing a crime," she said. "We arc all here because we have made a choice to support them in their choice " Winston-Salem's Best Choice Center schedules special program featuring local elected officials in commemoration of first anniversary The Best Choice Center Inc., a Martha Wood, mayor-elect; George the Best Choice Center include the holies Anonymous. substance abuse and referral center Sweat, chief of the Winston-Salem ComPac program, a program that In October, Anita Dunston, the located at 1525 E. 14th St, will eel- Police Department; and Warren provides tutoring and special educa- center's executive director, ebrale its frnt anniversary Sunday, Sparrow, district attorney for uonal programs for youngsters. participated in a statewide confer Nov. 19, at 2 p.m. at the center. Forsyth County. Other elected offi- The center previously has encc on the prevention of drug and The event will feature an open cial also are expected to participate. sponsored support groups such as forum and will include guests Programs sponsored through Cocaine Anonymous and Alco- Please see page B3
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Nov. 16, 1989, edition 1
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