Diabetes Course

 

Diabetes Course 2013

The diabetes course commenced on Wednesday 25th September 2013 and a session took place every Wednesday until the 30th October. It started at 11:00AM and finished at13:00PM. It was held at The Seventh Day Adventist Church Hall.

The Caribbean and African Community Health Support Forum advertised the course through churches, GP surgeries, local community group organisations and personal links within the community. Throughout the 6 weeks there were 30 different participants who attended. With regards to gender breakdown, we had 9 male and 21 females in attendance over the course of the programme. There were 5 more men in attendance during this course than the previous one in 2011. The course was delivered over a 6 week period. Each week a different professional lead the session of which subject they specialised in. At the end of each session Zeta Wright a qualified fitness instructor, lead a 30 minute, mainly chair based exercise session which the participants thoroughly enjoyed.


The aim of the 6 week project was to:

  • Educate and increase the knowledge about diabetes and make people more aware of the risk factors, those with and without diabetes.

  • Give support to those with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes to help make sure they take care of themselves to the best of their ability.

  • Raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of diabetes.

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The set objectives were that by the end of the six weeks, participants would:

  • Have increased knowledge about signs and symptoms of diabetes and be able to share information/knowledge gained with others

  • Be aware of the complications of diabetes and being able to manage their own diabetes

  • Receive evidence based information on diet and how to achieve healthier eating on a Caribbean and African diet.

  • Be aware of the importance of following advice on medication.

  • Be able to understand the importance of exercise as part of the treatment for diabetes

Diabetes Course 2011

A diabetes Course was delivered at the Manor Ballroom in Ipswich for six weeks each session gave a presentation on different aspect of the body that is affected by diabetes. Participants were inspired to managing their own diabetes of the condition that a loved one may have, more effectively. Each session ended with an exercise component built in to motivate the participants to include exercise as part of their weekly routine.

The Diabetes project started in September 2011, it last for Six Weeks. The aim of the project was to support those who lives with diabetes (a long term health condition) and to enable them to better care for themselves and also to link them up with local service providers in the diabetes arena. It was also to increase the knowledge of risk factors of diabetes for those who did not have Diabetes, but who have family members with diabetes, and was to raise awareness of diabetes signs and symptoms and how to access diabetes services. The project was facilitated by the Local Professionals. 24 people attended the project on a regular bases.

Feedback

We received some positive outcome from the participants who embraced the project and wishes to continue as a group.

The group members enjoyed exercising together in an environment where they feel their needs was respected. These are some of the feedback comments from the courses participants, one of the participants said: ‘They were a bit reluctant at first, but I really enjoyed the professional talks. Now I embraced the importance of exercise and walk every day.’

A few of the other participants said: That they thought they knew everything about diabetes, but they realise that there was much more to learnt about it, and now they have improved their diet by planning and eating sensibly.

They mentioned about how it was important in their everyday life and they learnt a lot how to improve their diet, and how the exercise is important, and they all gained some knowledge even these with diabetes and those who do not have it to help their family members.

The work of the Caribbean and African Community Health Support Forum continues to educate and inspire community members of their health and wellbeing.

Diabetes Report 2011

Diabetes is a growing public health problem in England. The rate of diabetes (a risk factor for heart disease) in the East of England has increased by more than 13,000 to 257,835 in the past year (1). This increase has been in cases of type II. The population of Suffolk in 2007/8 was 592,061 and prevalence of type I and type II diabetes at the time was said to be 3.6%, compared to 3.9% nationally. However, by 2009, this figure had increased, bringing the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes among those aged 17 years and older in Suffolk PCT to 3.8% compared to 4% in all PCTs with similar diabetes risk(2).

Suffolk Primary Care Trust (PCT) highlights the fact that diabetes is a national and local priority which carries with it significant morbidity and early mortality (2). Many people are unaware that they have diabetes, so when the estimated percentage of those undiagnosed are included within these figures, the prevalence rate of type II diabetes rises sharply to 4.6% or 27,234 of people living in Suffolk (2).

Diabetes UK states that 25,882 people (aged 17 years and older) with diabetes in Suffolk are registered with GP practices (1). Whilst type I is diagnosed in childhood, type II increase after 45 years of age. Type II diabetes is higher in areas experiencing deprivation, for example, people living in the 20% of the most deprived areas in England are 56% more likely to have diabetes than those living in the least deprived areas (3). Suffolk PCT states that type II diabetes reduces the life expectancy of an individual by up to10 years.