FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 1, 2021
LAS VEGAS – In Clark County, approximately 11 percent of adults have been diagnosed with diabetes, one of the most prevalent diseases in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 34 million people in the United States have diabetes. American Diabetes Month is an opportunity to remind people who are living with diabetes as well as those at risk of developing it that there are options available to protect their health.
The American Diabetes Association estimates that about 70,000 Nevadans have diabetes but don’t know it, which increases their additional health risks, and approximately 16,000 people in the state are diagnosed with the disease each year. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and it is the leading cause of kidney failure, lower limb amputations, and blindness. People with diabetes are also at a higher risk of developing more severe illness with influenza and COVID-19.
As part of its commemoration of American Diabetes Month, the Southern Nevada Health District will participate in the Día de los Muertos Festival, 5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 1 and Tuesday, Nov. 2 at Freedom Park, 850 N. Mojave Rd., Las Vegas 89101. Free health screenings will be available including diabetes, cholesterol, HIV and STD testing.
The Southern Nevada Health District’s Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion offers free resources, diabetes self-management classes, and a six-session Road to Diabetes Prevention program throughout the year. Programs and resources are free, available in English and Spanish and are accessible on the Get Healthy Clark County or Viva Saludable websites or by calling, (702) 759-1270.
In 2019, the Health District’s Diabetes Self-Management Education Program earned recognition from the American Diabetes Association as a program that meets the national standards for diabetes education. The Health District offers diabetes self-management & education classes throughout the year. Classes are free and offered in English and Spanish. Virtual and in-person classes are also available. To sign up to be on the waiting list and to be notified when diabetes self-management classes are scheduled, visit the Get Healthy Clark County Diabetes Workshop Interest Form or Viva Saludable websites.
The Road to Diabetes Prevention program is a free, online program designed for people with prediabetes or who are at risk for diabetes. It is available in English and Spanish and teaches participants about risk factors and how to make simple lifestyle changes. Participants can sign up for the Road to Diabetes Prevention program on the Get Healthy Clark County or the Viva Saludable’s Programa de Prevención de Diabetes en línea webpages.
The Nevada Diabetes Resource Directory provides information about classes, prevention, low-cost clinics, specialists, support groups, and more in English and Spanish. It is available on the Get Healthy Clark County Diabetes webpage.
The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.