VA Pacific Island Health Care System (VAPIHCS) is committed to providing the best possible care to patients in the Pacific Islands.
Diabetes education has always been part of our programming, as diabetes is a disproportionately a major problem in the Pacific Islands. However, nurse educator Dr. Jessica Taylor Sparier and Veteran Health and Education Coordinator (VHEC) Elizabeth Kawana were recently awarded a VA grant to VAPIHCS to bring a new Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) program.
“Of the roughly 38 million Americans with diabetes, our best medical estimate is that around 8.7 million people are not diagnosed,” Taylor Sparier said. “Undiagnosed diabetes can lead to severe long-term complications, including eye disease and blindness, increased risk of heart disease and stroke, kidney disease and other serious health issues.”
Veterans may be at a higher risk of being overweight, over 45 years old, have a history of diabetic families, and are Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders. Therefore, it is important for VAPIHCS veterans to learn how to find and manage diabetes. With over 97 million Americans prediabetics, education can even help many native Hawaiians and Pacific islanders avoid illness.
“We are grateful for the leadership vision to prioritize this program,” Kawana said. “Queens do this. The mainland VA locations do this. It makes sense to bring this program to VAPIHCS.”
Diabetes is the most expensive chronic disease in the United States. Research shows that the number spent on diabetes care is around $327 billion a year. It's not expensive for medical institutions either. Diabetes can lead to 2.3 times higher healthcare costs than individuals, with 25% of patients distributing insulin by cost. Diabetes also increases the risk of complications during surgery. For veterans, costs are more than money. Diabetes leaves behind so many serious health complications that limit what you can do.
“This new diabetes education program will help veterans understand everything better, from reading food labels to knowing that carbohydrates are metabolized to sugar,” said Dr. Taylor Sparier. “That knowledge makes it easier to choose what to eat, and we also talk about options to stay active, staff are already educated on individual appointments, but often lag behind the best.
Diabetes self-management education programs help people manage their blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol. The program reduced diabetes-related complications and hospitalizations in other areas where it is being implemented. Once the program is fully in place, it should help reduce amputation and diabetes-related kidney disease. Most importantly, they provide education before a disaster occurs and give veterans an agency about their health.
“We're doing a single class at this stage of grant implementation,” Kawada said. “From here, we plan to go to Samoa, America, to build partnerships with our community and teach in-person classes there.
There are no easy solutions to ingesting tablets or diabetes management. It can be very difficult for veterans who don't want to collect or skip rice for dinner and say no to the lunch plate. The goal of education is for veterans to understand that it's not something they give up. That's about what they get. Longer lifespans with their families. The opportunity to see their grandchildren grow up. And – maybe I felt the best.
“The program is focused on families,” said Dr. Taylor Sparier. “It's important because veteran families are also at risk for diabetes, but may not have access to health education programs. When educating veterans with their families, it helps change the way communities think about food and improve the health outcomes of veterans and their loved ones.”
Veterans can lower their risk of developing diabetes by quitting smoking, eating a more pants-based diet and exercising. That doesn't mean that veterans have to skip the lunch plate and get a salad. That means they simply skip the rice and go for a walk after dinner. It means making time to swim, play with your grandchildren, or go to the gym. Diabetes is not the end of everything veterans enjoy. Proper glucose management and education allow diabetics to eat chip bags and cakes when needed. It's about finding balance and understanding the overall picture of how to manage their health.
If you would like to learn more about diabetes education or want to talk to someone about enrolling in VA care, call VAPIHCS at 1-800-214-1306.