HR1276 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1276 LRB100 24127 MST 43252 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, November is American Diabetes Month, and approximately 1,325,000 people in Illinois, or 12.5% of the adult population, have diabetes; residents of Asian American heritage comprise 7.8% of the population of the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death among Asian Americans; and

WHEREAS, Asian Americans are over 30% more likely to have diabetes than white Americans; and

WHEREAS, Asian Americans are also at greater risk of developing prediabetes, diabetes, and associated risks, such as cardiovascular disease, at a lower body mass index (BMI) than whites, Hispanics, African Americans, or Native Americans; and

WHEREAS, Asian Americans face a healthcare disparity in type 2 diabetes detection and diagnosis; this is due in part to general guidelines calling for screening at a body mass index of 25kg/m2; this current guideline misses 36% of diabetes diagnoses in Asian Americans over the age of 45 in Illinois, approximately 16,030 individuals; this also underestimates the prevalence of prediabetes among Asian Americans and the increased risk of both among younger Asian Americans; and

WHEREAS, Two out of three persons with type 2 diabetes die from heart attack or stroke, and adults with diabetes are at risk for developing end stage renal disease and kidney failure, blindness, and lower limb loss; and

WHEREAS, The per capita health care cost of direct medical expenses for diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes, prediabetes, and gestational diabetes, along with associated indirect costs and productivity loss in Illinois, is an estimated $8,981 per year; in 2017, the annual cost for diabetes in Illinois was estimated at $8.7 billion in medical costs plus $3.2 billion in productivity loss; and

WHEREAS, Early detection and treatment can mitigate diabetes-related complications, risks, and costs; and

WHEREAS, Interventions focusing on nutrition, physical activity, and healthy weight loss have been shown to reverse prediabetes, improve glucose function in diabetics, and reduce the need for multiple medications; and

WHEREAS, Screening Asian American patients aged 45 and older at a body mass index of 23kg/m2 instead of 25kg/m2 would unmask over 9,222 diabetes cases and many thousands more prediabetes cases and would lead to increased screenings among younger Asian Americans at risk for diabetes at BMI 23, thereby initiating treatment or early interventions to reduce negative co-morbidities like heart diseases, kidney diseases, and limb amputation; and

WHEREAS, The National Institutes of Health found that more than half of Asian Americans with diabetes are undiagnosed, greatly increasing their overall health risk; and

WHEREAS, According to community-based participatory research and studies on Asian American subpopulations, Asian Americans also have increased risk for diabetes and prediabetes; and

WHEREAS, Recent analysis of cross-sectional national data shows Asian Americans are the least likely ethnic group to receive recommended diabetes screening, with a 34% lower rate of diabetes screening than white Americans; and

WHEREAS, The World Health Organization recommends screening Asian patients at a lower body mass index than non-Hispanic whites, and the 2015 official guidelines of the American Diabetes Association recommend that Asian Americans should be tested for type 2 diabetes at a body mass index of 23; and

WHEREAS, The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Diabetes Coalition has coordinated the Screen at 23 campaign with the support of over 40 national and regional health organizations; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has the opportunity to join Hawaii, California, and Massachusetts as the fourth state to formally recognize and recommend screening adult Asian Americans for type 2 diabetes at a body mass index of 23, enabling thousands of individuals to get the early care and treatment needed to live healthier and happier lives; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we endorse and support the Screen at 23 campaign and urge the Illinois Department of Public Health to endorse and support the Screen at 23 campaign's efforts to increase awareness of diabetes among Asian American communities, including using appropriate screening measures for Asian American patients, and to eliminate disparities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Public Health is urged to actively encourage, via existing communication protocols and internal mechanisms, all public and private health providers and facilities to also participate in these efforts; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor and the Director of Public Health.