Latinos Living With Diabetes

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(Locator: Wichita, Kansas)

Home health-care nurse, Patty Larraga is often alarmed at what she sees.

Patty Larraga, Institute of Minority Health Education and Research: "This last year, I started a six-year-old child on insulin because of obesity.”

One in fourteen people in the U.S. is diabetic, and Larraga says the rate is even higher in the Hispanic community. But there was no bilingual program on how to manage the disease, so Larraga volunteered her time to start the Institute of Minority Health Education and research in Wichita, Kansas.

Patty Larraga, Institute of Minority Health Education and Research: "No one has to die blind, no one has to lose their feet nor do they end up, have to end up on dialysis."

A 50,000 dollar grant from the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund helped expand the courses and offer more follow-up.

(Class instruction) "What else do we actually have control of?"

Most referrals come from Gracemed, a health-care clinic supported by the United Methodist Church in Kansas.

Dave Sanford, GraceMed Health Clinic: "The patients need help with not only their treatment plan but also to look at their diet."

Patty Larraga: "One promotores, or community health worker, can approximately reach a thousand people a year, successfully."

The classes also stress the importance of exercise. Jose Gasca has good reason to follow the medical advice.

Jose Gasca, Diabetic: "I myself have lost brothers, relatives that have left this earth way too early because they weren’t getting a full guidance as how to manage their diabetes."

Diane Juarez, Director of Education: "What I want them to learn that it’s a lifestyle, it’s something you do every day."

These health-care workers are hoping to change attitudes—and life expectancies.

Patty Larraga, Institute of Minority Health Education and Research: "In our culture, many people think it’s a curse from God and we’re going to have it anyway. But a lot of the chronic complications from diabetes are preventable."

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A grant from the United Methodist Church will allow the Institute of Minority Health Education and Research to become certified by the American Diabetes Association. The organization will then be able to receive payments from Medicare and Medicaid for its educational programs.

For more information on the Institute of Minority Health Education and Research, contact:

Patty Larraga RN. BSN. President
331 S. Hydraulic
Wichita, Kansas 67211
Office: 316.425.0445

For general information about diabetes prevention and treatment, visit The American Diabetes Association Web site at www.diabetes.org.