In my adventures as a medical editor, I have recently been working with researchers who are investigating the use of the Internet as a health tool. Not only are patients increasingly turning to the Internet to research health questions, but researchers are also introducing the concept of using the tool as a management device. In a recent study, socio-economically disadvantaged teens were given computers and access to a database that offered reminders for care, information, and discussion boards.

The teenagers used the online resources, particularly the discussion boards. The community offered was particularly important to teens. After about six months of using the Internet resource and information, their Internet use started to taper off, because they found that they could manage their health without the support that the online community offered. However, researchers believe this will continue to be a great tool, because people are diagnosed with diabetes all the time. The tool is not useful only for adolescents either: It can be used by people of all ages.

In the interest of full-disclosure, my resource for this post was my father's health management blog. My father is a clinical psychologist who has been helping patients manage their health for his entire career.

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.

Anybody who has been granted the dubious distinction of multiple blood glucose readings a day will appreciate the lively approach my endocrinologist has applied to diabetes management. As his cartoon-depicted alter ego, Dr. Grady brings you straightforward explanations of the medical issues in the form of comic strips. His approach is the CartoonMD®, which is medical information made very, very simple.

A new class of diabetes agents was created and released on the market for patient care called the incretin mimetics. Greek to you, too? Exactly. Here's what I did -- take yourself a minute or two to pay homage to the comedic genius and frustrated artist that I proudly (and often) call doctor. If nothing more, you'll enjoy the momentary reminiscing of Saturday morning cartoons with an intellectual spin.

I encourage everybody to take a look at the educational entertainment from the good doctor, Dr. Grady. It truly is medical information that goes down easy!