Perspectives Newsletter

November is American Diabetes Month

Roughly 1 in 6 American adults are thought to have diabetes, including undiagnosed cases, up from 10% at the turn of the century, new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show.

Why it matters: Even as the U.S. pays more attention to metabolic diseases and is consumed with diabetes and anti-obesity drugs, the burden of the disease is growing and complicating care in an already taxed health care system.

• The American Diabetes Association called it the most expensive chronic condition in the U.S., estimating the cost of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. in 2022 was $412.9 billion, including $306.6 billion in direct medical costs.

What they found: When adjusting for age, the prevalence of diabetes increased from 9.7% in 1999-2000 to 14.3% in the August 2021-August 2023 time period.

• Diabetes was most common in adults 60 and older (27.3%) followed by adults ages 40-59 (17.7%).
• Men had a higher prevalence diabetes (18%) compared with women (13.7%).
• Roughly a quarter of those with diabetes are undiagnosed.

Worth watching: There continues to be a push for $35 insulin caps in the commercial market, pointing to insulin costs that are high compared with other countries.  U.S. diabetes burden grew since 2000 (axios.com)

Need to Know & Good to Know

New Pregnancy Resource Guide Released. Check out the new Martinsville-Henry County Pregnancy Resource Guide, the result of much hard work by the MHC Maternal Health Task Force. With more than 100 pages, this document is chock-full of valuable information to assist pregnant/post-partum individuals in our area. https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/.../reso.../district-resources/ If you would like to have your organization added to the Pregnancy Resource Guide, please contact Christa Moore at United Way of Henry County-Martinsville.

Don't Eat the Plastic! Throw out your black plastic spatula. In a world of plastic consumer goods, avoiding the material entirely requires the fervor of a religious conversion. But getting rid of black plastic kitchen utensils is a low-stakes move, and worth it. Cooking with any plastic is a dubious enterprise, because heat encourages potentially harmful plastic compounds to migrate out of the polymers and potentially into the food. But Andrew Turner, a biochemist at the University of Plymouth, claims that black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid. In 2018, Turner published one of the earliest papers positing that black plastic products were likely regularly being made from recycled electronic waste. The clue was the plastic’s concerning levels of flame retardants. In some cases, the mix of chemicals matched the profile of those commonly found in computer and television housing, many of which are treated with flame retardants to prevent them from catching fire. The Atlantic

The Danger of Mercury in Cosmetics. The FDA is warning about using beauty products that contain mercury. That's because mercury exposure can lead to serious health consequences. Symptoms of mercury poisoning include: Irritability Shyness Tremors Changes in vision or hearing Memory problems Depression Numbness and tingling in the hands or feet or around the mouth Read on for more information about the dangers of mercury, how to tell which products contain it and how to stay safe.  Beauty Products and Mercury | RxWiki More Long COVID Among People With Preexisting Disabilities A recent study examined long COVID prevalence among people with preexisting disabilities, finding a significantly higher rate in this group (40.6%) compared to the general population (18.9%). Factors like increased COVID-19 exposure and limited healthcare access may contribute to this disparity, highlighting persistent health inequities for people with disabilities. Access the article in the American Journal of Public Health.

Now is the Time to Protect Yourself from Respiratory Viruses

In the fall and winter, it’s common to get sick from respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, influenza (flu), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The best way for people to protect themselves and others from these respiratory viruses is to stay up to date on recommended vaccines for COVID-19, flu, and, if eligible, RSV. 

Right now is a perfect time to get your vaccines as we head into fall and winter. 

Staying home when sick, practicing good hygiene by washing your hands often and covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, and taking steps for cleaner air are important ways to protect yourself and others this fall and winter. 

Treatments are available for flu and COVID-19 for people at increased risk of serious illness. Treatments can reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. It’s important to contact a healthcare provider right away to see if treatment is right for you. The earlier treatment is started, the better. 

Tests, including at-home tests, can quickly detect COVID-19 so there are no delays in getting treatment and taking steps to protect others from getting sick.

Free COVID-19 tests (four per household) are available through the mail by ordering from covidtests.gov.

• In Virginia, current rates of COVID-19 are low. Flu and RSV activity are currently low, but trending upward.

The most up-to-date data can be found on VDH’s Respiratory Disease Dashboard. https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/respiratory-diseases-in-virginia/data/      

Staying up to date on immunizations, staying home when sick, washing hands, and improving air quality are some of the ways you can protect yourself and others. https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/index.html     - VDH

West Piedmont Health District
Contact offices in Martinsville, Rocky Mount and Stuart.