National diabetes week underway

National Diabetes Week, which raises awareness of the lifestyle factors that contribute to a person developing type 2 diabetes, is now underway.

In supporting the week, the Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, said the number of Australians diagnosed with diabetes has continued to rise, with the most recent national data from the 2007-08 National Health Survey indicating that 818,200 people have been diagnosed with the disease.

That’s 100,000 more people since the 2004-05 survey. She said the Rudd Government is committed to prevention and research into the causes and treatment of diabetes as well as supporting people with diabetes, including:

• Funding for diabetes research allocated through the National Health and Medical Research Council has been increased from $45 million in 2007 to $57 million in 2008 – an increase of more than 27%;
• $103.4 million has been provided over four years to prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes in Australians aged 40-49 years. The funding covers diabetes risk evaluation checks under Medicare for people aged 40-49 considered at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and referral to funded lifestyle modification programs when appropriate;
• The Rudd Government has allocated, through Council Of Australian Governments, a record $872.1 million for preventative health programs; and
• In addition, the Rudd Government invests more than $400 million annually to cover the cost of diabetes medications under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and products and services supplied by the National Diabetes Services Scheme.

It’s easy to find out if you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. AUSDRISK is a screening tool on the Department of Health and Ageing website – it is a short questionnaire to help both health professionals and patients to assess a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.