Diabetes is a difficult disease to manage. Though there are a variety of tools available to help people with the complicated task of monitoring their blood sugar, many people still struggle maintaining a balance without too many crashes or spikes. This is especially true for those doing their best to manage without medications, which can be prohibitively expensive.
New research out of UCLA shows that not all diabetics are created equal when it comes to managing their blood glucose. The devastating complications of the disease, particularly amputations and diabetic retinopathy, strike certain geographic areas much harder than others. Not just a little harder either. People in those areas are ten times more likely to require amputation. Unsurprisingly, those areas that are hardest hit are among the poorer areas in the state.
There are a variety of possible reasons for this anomaly, including:
- Affording a healthy diet can be expensive; people in poor areas might be more likely to be forced to buy lower quality foods that are more likely to cause blood sugar spikes
- Access to education is much more difficult for people with less money
- The strips for blood sugar monitors are prohibitively expensive
- Doctors are less interested in the quality of care they provide to the poor, leading to worse outcomes
Diabetes and its complications can be devastating to any family. Sadly, many people suffer diabetes because of the actions of others, such as doctors prescribing a drug such as Lipitor that has the potential to cause diabetes. If you or a loved one has contracted diabetes due to the negligence of doctors or pharmaceutical companies, please contact a lawyer to help you afford the care you need.