Tri-City Medical Center is establishing itself as the leading diabetic services provider in the North San Diego County community through its dynamic approach to this debilitating disease.

Our Diabetes Program offers adult and obstetric diabetic patients:

• A 32-bed medical unit dedicated to adult patients
  
  
• Emergency Services: 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week coverage
  
  
• Case Management
  
  
• Home Health Services
  
  
• Diabetes Disease Management

About Diabetes

Diabetes affects an estimated 20.8 million people in the US (90 percent to 95 percent have type 2 diabetes) - 14.6 million have been diagnosed, but 6.2 million are unaware they have the disease. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the American Diabetes Association, those affected include:

• 9.7 million US women (8.8 percent of all women)
  
  
• 10.9 million US men (10.5 percent of all men)
  
  
• 176,500 people under age 20
  
  
• 10.3 million adults over age 60
  
  
• 3.2 million African Americans (13.3 percent of all African Americans)
  
  
• 2.5 million Hispanic/Latino Americans (9.5 percent of all Hispanic/Latino Americans)
  
  
• 13.1 million Caucasian Americans (8.7 percent of all Caucasian Americans)

According to the most recent statistics, diabetes was the sixth leading cause of death, and the fifth leading cause of death from disease. Diabetes costs $90 billion annually in direct medical costs. Diabetes costs $40 billion annually in indirect costs (loss of work, disability, loss of life).

Diabetes is a condition that results from the body either not producing enough insulin or when cells don't respond appropriately to insulin.

Diabetes can lead to kidney disease, blindness, amputation, heart disease and stroke and other health complications.

Children with Diabetes

Once an adults-only disease, diabetes is now appearing in our young children. Tri-City Medical Center participates with the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. For more information about childhood diabetes, visit the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Web site at http://www.jdf.org.

Diabetes Education and Support Groups

Many people with diabetes don't have symptoms and others have a difficult time managing their diabetes. Both of these facts are reasons why diabetes education is so important. Tri-City Medical Center offers regular classes and support groups led by medical specialists.

Our education services include:

• Periodic Community Diabetes Education Forums
  
  
• Diabetes Education Group
  
  
• Diabetes Support Groups
  
  

For more information call (760) 941-9850.