| January 3, 2001
PENN RESEARCHERS COMBATING BLINDNESS
FROM DIABETIC RETINOPATHY IN LOCAL COMMUNITY WITH "4
SIGHT" PROGRAM
Program aims to promote early detection and intervention,
preventing blindness in adult diabetics in researcher's
own West Philadelphia neighborhood.
(Philadelphia, PA)--The
Scheie Eye Institute, in conjunction with the University
of Pennsylvania Health System, continues to expand an
aggressive and unique recruitment program within the
local West Philadelphia community to promote the early
detection of "diabetic retinopathy". While ophthalmologists
have a treatment that is nearly 100 % effective in preventing
this form of blindness, it remains the leading cause
of blindness among "working age" adults. "The age distinction
is especially critical because diabetic retinopathy
can hit patients during their most productive years,
whereas age related macular degeneration, glaucoma and
cataracts which cause more blindness overall, mainly
affects the older generation," notes 4 Sight program
Director, Maureen G. Maguire, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
Health System Professor of Ophthalmology.
The 4 Sight program, the first of its kind in the nation,
seeks to recruit diabetics to participate in annual
eye examinations as recommended by the American Diabetes
Association. People with diabetes are at high risk for
vision loss as their condition often leads to blood
vessel damage in the retina. Additionally, diabetics
have an increased risk for developing glaucoma and cataracts.
Many diabetics, however, have no idea they have severe
diabetic retinopathy until they have a catastrophic
event such as a hemorrhage or a retinal detachment.
The annual examinations become the critical component.
Less than half of diabetics who should be getting annual
exams do so. It is of added concern that communities
with l education and lesser income levels have markedly
lower examination rates. Annual exams can reveal changes
in a patient's eyes that indicate problems necessitating
a series of proactive and preventative treatments, depending
on the severity of the condition. These measures range
from the simple, regular monitoring of one's blood glucose
level, where the changes in the eyes have been minor,
to laser treatment in more severe cases. "Blindness
can be prevented altogether or limited significantly,
if the eyes are checked on a regular basis, treated
accordingly, and the patients are informed of in advance,
as to what warning signals to look for,"said Maguire.
This is of special concern to the African-American community
where it is estimated that black women are 2.4 times
as likely to develop diabetes as white women are.
The 4 Sight program developed a targeted telephone
recruitment campaign aimed at high-risk candidates which
"is the most personal and cost effective approach" according
to Maguire. Previous attempts to target at-risk community
members included health fairs, postings at supermarkets
and local stores, educational announcements through
local ministers as well as mass mailings. "One to one
personal discussions by telephone identifying the vision
risks associated with diabetes and the advantages of
annual examinations, have really had a positive effect
on the participation level in our program" noted Maguire.
Once the candidate becomes aware of the real benefits
of being in the program such as: personal reminders
of all required examinations, assistance with transportation,
assistance with referrals and payment arrangements,
in addition to general information regarding diabetes
and local support groups in the community, enrollment
becomes much easier. It is hoped that the 4 Sight approach
will serve as a model for communities around the country.
Utilizing existing patient databases within the expansive
University of Pennsylvania Health System, accurate targeting
of diabetic patients has led to a current enrollment
in the program of 470 patients. The 4 Sight program
hopes to increase its membership to 1,000 by June 2001,
stated project director Eveline DiFranco. Further expansion
of the 4 Sight program will involve targeting the 40%
of patients in dialysis clinics who are diabetic and
increasing the presence of diabetic support groups in
the neighborhood, the development of which is being
led by 4 Sight program case manager, Billie Johnson,
RN.
Editor's Note: For more information, please contact
the 4 Sight program at the Scheie Eye Institute at (215)
615-1554. For patient appointments, please call (215)
615-1553.
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