CHRISTOPHER MILLS – Herald-Tribune staff
Posted 14 hours ago
 Christopher Mills |
When it comes to certain illnesses, it is better to be proactive than reactive and Type 2 diabetes is one example.
The Mobile Diabetes Screening Initiative (MDSI) has been visiting the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre since Monday and wrapped up its screening Thursday afternoon.
The Friendship Centre's Aboriginal Urban Diabetes (AUD) program invited the MDSI to come to provide testing for off-reserve aboriginal people, though the screening is available to people of all ethnicities.
The AUD program is a diabetes prevention program that provides diabetes prevention services to aboriginal people, as their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes is three to five times higher than the average person.
"The AUD program is a program that has been around in Grande Prairie since March of 2008, so it's a newer program," said Lindy Beauchamp-Chester, AUD program co-ordinator and a certified personal trainer with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology.
"It's part of the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative through Health Canada, so we receive funding to provide services to aboriginal people to prevent diabetes."
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The MDSI is a travelling health-care service that provides testing and education for diabetes, diabetes risk and cardiovascular risk aboriginal people that live off-reserves or in remote communities.
'DON'T HAVE ACCESS'
"A lot of them don't have access to regular physicians, regular lab tests, that sort of thing, so it's good for us to go and be in the communities where there is a high population of aboriginal people and do the testing," said Mindy Kowal, a lab technician.
"Then they know whether or not they're on their way to having diabetes, or if they have it, and we also cover other basic health concerns, like cholesterol."
The initiative also advises people on making healthy lifestyle choices to help reduce the risk of diabetes.
The Friendship Centre offers various services aimed at helping people control and prevent Type 2 diabetes, including exercise classes, walking groups, a fitness centre with commercial-grade exercise equipment, cooking classes and yoga.
"We're just trying to get people active," Beauchamp-Chester said.
"We have one-on-one counselling and a dietician who works here as well. We also do grocery store tours and we have a certified personal trainer – me – who works here for free. There's no cost to the aboriginal people."
Both Beauchamp-Chester and Kowal said no specific reason has been found for why diabetes occurs more in aboriginal people and other minority groups, but extensive research is being done.
"There are no definitive answers, but one possibility is growth measurement," Beauchamp-Chester said.
"Aboriginals tend to gain weight in their midsection, as opposed to other places, so that puts them at risk for not only Type 2 diabetes but heart disease and stroke as well. Some people also say aboriginal people haven't necessarily been able to process food the same way other groups of people do, which could be the problem."
William Bond, a Grande Prairie resident who was at the screening, said it was a good idea to get tested and be safe; to know ahead of time if there was something wrong.
"It's good to catch things early and it's a lot easier to correct," he said. "I had a test six months ago and it was OK then. It's my first time here – I usually just go to my doctor – but I'm going to make (testing) a regular thing."
There was a steady stream of visitors throughout the week. The tests are fairly easy and the technicians can detect diabetes or its warning signs within 10 minutes, Kowal said.
"We're not officially allowed to diagnose, but we do refer people to their physician for the official, gold-standard diabetes test, which is the oral glucose tolerance test," she said. "This week we haven't seen a lot of cases."
The local diabetes program from Alberta Health Services has also been on hand for those found to have Type 2 diabetes for referrals and information on programs and services they provide for diabetes management.
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