As was the case with my family friend who was unsure what she could eat after being newly diagnosed with diabetes, it seems that a lack of awareness and education seems to be addressed This is not where fingers start to be pointed and names are named, but instead where some of the causes of this disconnect need to be addressed and ultimately fixed. Having said that, it seems as though at least a part of the communication breakdown may be caused less by a lack of discussion, and more from an absence of culturally specific diabetes management. Fortunately, Project Dulce, a program established in San Diego, is taking that very thing into consideration, and the results thus far have been extremely positive.

Project Dulce's goal is to meet the ADA's standards of care; with their target population being primarily low-income, under-insured Latino men and women. Focusing on 3,893 people in a study of the program's efficacy, participants "showed clinically significant improvements in A1C, blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides," according to a researcher from the University of California San Diego.

To achieve their goals, the clinical team included a registered nurse/certified diabetes educator (CDE), medical assistant and a registered dietitian who were bilingual and bicultural. Patients met with their team several times after an initial visit and scheduled follow-up. Reminders were even phoned in to patients about upcoming appointments.

Patient's also participated in an eight-week group self-management training program, lead by peer educators who themselves were of the same cultural or ethnic group as the participants.

The positive results of the study serve as a testament to the importance of educating people about their -- or even their loved one's -- diabetes. Barriers such as language and cultural differences, as evidenced with Project Dulce, can be easily overcome.