Diabetes

Program Objectives

• Increase Métis peoples' awareness of the seriousness of diabetes, its risk factors, and potential strategies, for preventing diabetes and its complications.

• Improve understanding about diabetes and its control and to promote better self-management behaviors among Métis people with diabetes.

• Improve Métis health care providers' understanding of diabetes and its control and to promote an integrated approach to care.

• Promote health care policies that improve the quality of and access to diabetes care, that focus on the need to see a health professional to be screened for diabetes.

Risk Factors

• Age 45 and over
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Aboriginal, Hispanic or Asian descent
• Impaired glucose tolerance
• Being overweight
• Have given birth to a child over 9 lbs
• Family history of diabetes Signs and Symptoms
• Blurred vision
• Excessive thirst
• Frequent urination
• Cuts/Wounds slow to heal
• Unexplained weight change
• Tingling/Numbness in hands or feet
• Extreme fatigue
• Unexplained irritability
• Dry Itchy Skin
• Sweet Smelling Breath
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Severe abdominal pain