Diabetes: Status of the Disease Among American Indians, Blacks, and Hispanics

摘要

First, the prevalence of diabetes is higher in American Indians, Hispanics, andblacks than in whites. Second, there is a paucity of research on the incidence of diabetes in minority populations. However, the limited data suggest higher incidence rates in minorities than whites. Third, it appears that certain environmental and lifestyle factors are necessary to trigger the disease in persons who are genetically susceptible to it. Fourth, we do not know whether the natural history of the disease is the same or different across different population groups. This shortcoming represents a significant gap in our understanding of the disease since this information is needed to help determine why the prevalence of diabetes and the incidence of complications from diabetes are higher in minorities than in whites Fifth, while slightly more than half the funds for diabetes human research as a whole are targeted to minorities, only a small percentage of the total diabetes funding and a small number of projects are targeted to Hispanic and black population groups in the specific areas of prevention/behavioral and clinical research. Further, some subgroups of American Indians and Hispanics are not represented at all. Sixth, the NIH data base cannot be used to determine the actual amount of resources that are being targeted to diabetes in minorities. Finally, NIDDK does not make an attempt to collect information on the race of the individuals from whom the human cells are derived in their basic research. JMD.