Diabetes in African Americans/Blacks

   About Diabetes

Diabetes in the General Public
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Diabetes in African Americans/Blacks
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Know Your Diabetes Health Numbers
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Glossary of Terms
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Diabetes Myths
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About Diabetes
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  • 3.2 million people aged 20 years and older (or 13.3% of all African Americans) have diabetes. Of this number, one third are not aware that they have the disease.
  • 1.8 times more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.
  • One in four, or 25%, of African Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 have diabetes.
  • One in four African American women over 55 years of age has diabetes.
  • About 65% of deaths is caused by heart disease and stroke.
  • There is a 27% higher death rate for blacks compared to whites.
  • African Americans experience higher complications,such as kidney disease and amputations, compared to non-Hispanic whites with diabetes.
  • Blindness: Almost 50% as likely to develop diabetic retinopathy as non-Hispanic whites.
  • Kidney Disease: African Americans are 2.6 to 5.6 times as likely to suffer from kidney disease with more than 4,000 new cases of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) each year.
  • Amputations: African Americans are 2.7 times as likely to suffer from lower-limb amputations; these rates are 1.4 to 2.7 times higher in men than women with diabetes.




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Disclaimer
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© National Medical Association
Last updated August 11, 2008
National Diabetes Education Program National Medical Association Diabetes Better Care
National Diabetes Education Program National Medical Association Diabetes Better Care