Diabetes affects women in unique and devastating ways. To address this the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sponsoring a 2-day conference in Savannah, Georgia that will highlight a national action plan that reaches women through research, programs, and public education to help control diabetes.

The conference, being held October 18 and 19 at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center, will bring together more than 150 CDC partners from academia, public health, and government to share new research and discuss programs that focus on diabetes and women’s health.

“One way to reach women in all walks of life is by joining forces with a wide range of agencies and advocacy groups,” said Dr. Frank Vinicor, director of CDC’s diabetes division and keynote speaker at the Partner’s Conference on Diabetes and Women’s Health. “This conference will provide our partners with the latest scientific findings and information about community programs to help strengthen their commitment to improving the lives of women with diabetes.”

According to CDC, women are more likely to develop diabetes than men and to experience more serious complications such as heart disease, stroke and blindness. Currently, more than 9 million women in the United States have diagnosed diabetes and an estimated 3 million more have the disease and don’t know it.

“Each stage of life brings serious health challenges to women with diabetes,” said Michelle Owens, Ph.D., coordinator of CDC’s diabetes and women’s health initiative. “For instance, diabetes in pregnancy is particularly dangerous for both the mother and baby. Through our national partnerships, we have developed a wide range of programs that address reproductive complications and other serious health issues for women with diabetes whether they are expectant mothers, teenagers, working women or grandmothers.”

One such program being highlighted at the conference is WISEWOMAN (Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation), a collaborative between CDC and 14 states to offer health screenings, education and counseling to disadvantaged women aged 40 to 64 years. Many of the success stories of WISEWOMAN were profiled in the June 2004 issue of Journal of Women’s Health. To read the articles or for more information about WISEWOMAN, visit www.cdc.gov/wisewoman/.

Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and costs the nation about $132 billion per year in medical and other expenditures. Type 2 diabetes – previously called adult-onset diabetes – accounts for up to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes and is associated with older age, obesity, and physical inactivity. For more information about diabetes call 1-800-CDC-INFO
1-888-232-6348 TTY (232-3422) or visit www.cdc.gov/diabetes

###

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Return to News & Information from CDC

Historical
Page last modified: December 20, 2005
Content Source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Diabetes Translation

CDC Home | Search | Health Topics A-Z

United States Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Diabetes Translation