Diabetes and the American Indian & Alaska Native Communities
Chapa-De Indian Health Auburn Grass Valley
Chapa-De Indian Health has a dedicated state-of-the-art program for helping patients, especially American Indian and Alaska Native patients, to live well with diabetes. We are also dedicated to preventing new cases of diabetes through routine medical screenings and supporting our patients to make healthy lifestyle choices.
What is diabetes?
“Diabetes mellitus” refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood sugar (glucose). Glucose is vital to your health because it’s an important source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and tissues. It’s also your brain’s main source of fuel.” – Mayo Clinic
The difference between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
- Type 1 is more common in children. If you have Type 1, your body doesn’t create insulin, making it hard for needed sugar to reach the required parts of your body.
- Type 2 is more common in adults but can affect children as well. It is when your body’s blood sugar rises and the insulin in your body doesn’t work properly to manage it.
How does diabetes affect the American Indian & Alaska Native Communities?
American Indians and Alaska Natives are statistically more likely to get diabetes in their lifetime due to a variety of socioeconomic, genetic and cultural factors.
Stunning Statistic
Over 14% of American Indian and Alaskan Native people, over the age 20, have diabetes.
The effects of this can be very dangerous and can lead to higher risk of heart disease, obesity, kidney failure and strokes.
How can Chapa-De help?
Chapa-De and our team have made it a priority to help educate the community on this growing issue, developing programs to help raise awareness to prevent diabetes from continuing and helping those already affected.
Our services include:
Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP); This year-long program helps patients learn about eating healthy, being physically active and managing stress while attending weekly classes for 16 weeks. The program also helps maintain weight loss and healthy living.
Diabetes Wellness Program; Our program is here to help you achieve your goals for health and wellness through self-management education and support with one-on-one sessions with a Diabetes Case Manager, Dietitian, and/or Lifestyle Coach.
Kristen Bradley, a Chapa-De Dietitian, is one of those team members, assisting our patients every day. Kristen was recently acknowledged as one of ten standout dietitians in Today’s Dietitian for immersing herself into the Native American culture to better understand how to help Chapa-De’s patients. Kristen is one of many people that make our team and diabetes program what is.
For more information on our programs and diabetes team, visit Chapa-De.org or call (530) 887-2800 for Auburn or (530) 477-8545 for Grass Valley.
Diabetes.org
CDC.org
Today’s Dietitian
Diabetes and the American Indian & Alaska Native Communities
Chapa-De Indian Health Auburn Grass Valley
PASSIONATE PEOPLE. COMPASSIONATE CARE.
Chapa-De provides medical care, dental care, optometry, behavioral health, pharmacy services and much more.
Serving all American Indian, Low Income and Limited Income Community
Members
Chapa-De Indian Healthcare Auburn Grass Valley