Community Diabetes Project

Community Diabetes Project: The Reason for Our Existence

In California, more than 339,000 Latino adults age 18 years and older had diabetes in 2001. With age, the prevalence of diabetes increases significantly. One out of five Latino adults over the age of 50 (19.7%) had diabetes in 2001. In Santa Clara County, where 24% of the population is of Latino descent, the incidence of diabetes, combined with low income and lack of health insurance, presents an alarming picture. Among African-Americans, Native Americans and Asian Pacific Islanders occurrences of diabetes are similar. If diabetes goes undetected and uncontrolled, it can lead to blindness, kidney disease, lower-limb amputation, and even death.