Frequently Asked Questions About the Pre-Diabetes Risk Test Q. Why do we need to have a "risk test" at all? What purpose does it serve? A. The risk test is a tool to help raise awareness about the seriousness of diabetes and its risk factors. Q. Why aren't "symptoms" included in the "scoring" part of the risk test? A. While some people with type 2 diabetes experience symptoms, others may go 7-10 years without obvious symptoms. Also, some of the symptoms for diabetes mimic other diseases or conditions, making it harder to predict an accurate diagnosis without additional information. Symptoms are also difficult to define, quantify and assess in self-administered questionnaires. Q. Since diabetes is more common in African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics/Latinos and Pacific Islanders, why aren't these groups included in the risk factors for diabetes? A. It is true that type 2 diabetes is more common in the above mentioned groups than in Caucasians. However, "race" or "ethnicity" alone is not a statistically significant predictor of diabetes. More important are the other factors such as age, overweight/obesity, and lack of exercise. Q. What was the risk test based on? A.
The diabetes risk test was based on a thorough study about evaluating
diabetes risk that was conducted by the Centers
for Disease Control. Questions and Answers from the American Diabetes Association What
are the symptoms of diabetes? Frequent urination
An
Interactive Program on Diabetes and Heart Disease If you have any questions or would like more information on Pre-Diabetes please contact the Diabetes Education Department at - (906) 225-3473 or 1 800-562-9753 extension 3473. You can also |