Roche Diagnostics Hispanic Initiative.

Roche Diagnostics hosted a series of health fairs in the Hispanic community to raise awareness about diabetes and provide information that can help people with diabetes manage their disease. The Dallas & Ft. Worth health fairs at local pharmacies will featured:

— Bilingual experts from health organizations to offer diabetes education in Spanish
— Dieticians to help patients with diabetes plan healthy meals
— Technicians to conduct blood screenings
— Nurse educators to counsel attendees about diabetes and heart disease
— Representatives from Roche Diagnostics demonstrating ACCU-CHEK(R) products

“One-and-a-half million Texans have diabetes, yet more than 500,000 have not been diagnosed,” commented Patty Latham, registered dietitian, Roche Diagnostics. “Consistently monitoring your blood glucose levels is one of the most important components to managing the disease. ACCU-CHEK(R) blood glucose meters ensure patients can check their blood sugar at home, school, work and play.”

Diabetes among Hispanic Americans is considered a serious health challenge by the National Institutes of Health. Nearly ten percent of all Hispanic Americans have diabetes and on average, Hispanic Americans are almost two times more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites of similar age.

“Diabetes is particularly common among middle-aged and older Hispanic Americans,” said Araceli Vazquez, registered dietitian. “These health fairs not only help educate Hispanics on serious public health problems caused by the disease, it also offers those who already have the disease access to tools that will greatly increase the probability of monitoring their glucose levels, the first step to effectively managing their disease.”

Diabetes is a chronic disease in which blood glucose levels are too high. High levels of glucose can damage blood vessels, leading to blindness, kidney disease, limb amputations, stroke and heart disease. There are three types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes has traditionally been diagnosed only in children and young adults. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed in adults over the age of 45. In type 2 diabetes, either the person is not making enough insulin, or the body is resistant to insulin and cannot use it properly. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy: 2-4 percent of all pregnant women have gestational diabetes. If a woman has gestational diabetes, she has about a 40 percent chance of having Type 2 diabetes later in her life.

ACCU-CHEK products help people with diabetes maintain healthy lifestyles by simplifying the process of blood glucose monitoring. Product innovations such as shorter test times, small test samples and the ability to test on different areas of the body help increase how often people with diabetes test. Regular testing, along with other healthy habits will result in improved control and understanding of how blood sugar levels affect everyday lives and long term health.