 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Richard James Brostrom, MD-MSPH, Division of Public Health, CNMI Department of Public Health, P.O. Box 500409, Saipan, MP, 96950, Saipan, (670) 234-8950, med_dir@chc.cnmi.mp
Objective: Previous estimates of diabetes prevalence in the Pacific Basin are inaccurate and under-emphasize the disparate burden of diabetes in this population. The CNMI Department of Public Health determined the need to collect and analyze accurate diabetes prevalence data for resource prioritization and the development of culturally appropriate interventions that will improve diabetes care in the US Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI).
Methods: The CNMI Department of Public Health, working with CDC and ATSDR, evaluated and screened an entire village for prevalence of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases as well as possible exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB).
Results: An unprecedented number of villagers (more than 1200) were evaluated for the presence of diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and other chronic diseases. Over 98% of village residents participated. From this data, we have determined that the prevalence of diabetes in these adults exceeds 30%, and affects nearly half of those over 50 years-old. Previous estimates of diabetes prevalence were increased by 100%, as nearly half of the existing burden of diabetes had been undiagnosed.
Conclusion: Local-Federal cooperation succeeded in providing the best data yet for evaluating the rate of non-communicable diseases in Saipan. Diabetes prevalence among Chamorros and Carolinians in the CNMI exceeds nearly every population subgroup ever studied worldwide. Most of the findings can reasonably be extrapolated across the Pacific Basin. Both local and federal programs and funding need to be re-prioritized to address this disparity among Pacific Islanders.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Diabetes, Asian and Pacific Islander
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.