Strong in community against diabetes mellitus

14.08.2012 11:47

There are around 70,000 to 100,000 self-help groups in Germany, but only around 800 to 1,500 of them are in the area of diabetes. Around six million people in this country alone suffer from the metabolic disease. Self-help and self-organization are an important support for many people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes as well as for their relatives in coping with illness, disability and psychosocial problems. The independent, nationwide organization “German Diabetes Aid – People with Diabetes” (DDH-M), founded at the beginning of June, has set itself the goal of specifically strengthening self-help under the umbrella of the overall organization diabetesDE – German Diabetes Aid.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease in which the active participation of those affected has a decisive influence on its course. People with diabetes have a high level of responsibility for their care: they must control and carry out their therapy conscientiously throughout their life in consultation with their treating doctor and their diabetes consultant. Changes in diet, blood sugar checks and regular medication or insulin administration pose major challenges for those affected, especially at the beginning of the disease. “Learning this self-management and maintaining it every day over many decades of life is not easy,” says Jan Twachtmann, CEO of the German Diabetes Aid – People with Diabetes (DDH-M) and himself a type 1 diabetic. Poorly controlled diabetes can lead to serious complications, from vascular and heart disease to kidney failure, blindness and amputation. Type 1 and type 2 diabetics therefore also have to deal with the possible consequences of diabetes on areas of life such as work and career. For example, retraining or even early retirement may become necessary as the illness progresses. “Especially in such phases of life, self-help as a supplement to medical care is an important supporting pillar for those affected,” emphasizes Jan Twachtmann.

According to the National Contact and Information Center for the Encouragement and Support of Self-Help Groups (NAKOS) eV, there are an estimated 70,000 to 100,000 self-help groups in Germany, around two thirds of which are in the health sector. Around three million citizens have joined together in self-help groups. “So far, however, only a small proportion of people with diabetes have been organized in self-help groups,” regrets Twachtmann. There are only around 800 to 1,500 diabetes self-help groups. “One reason for this is that diabetes often initially causes little suffering because the disease does not hurt – until the dreaded secondary diseases appear. The best protection against this is to actively deal with the disease, for example by participating in a self-help group.” Self-help offers targeted support for self-confident action, selective help and makes it easier for those affected and their relatives to exchange information. Self-help organizations and groups also provide information about gaps and necessary improvements in medical care and thus contribute to the further development of the health system. DDH-M has also committed itself to these tasks under the umbrella of the overall organization diabetesDE – German Diabetes Aid. To make it easier for people with diabetes and their relatives to set up self-help groups, diabetesDE offers a free self-help guide specifically tailored to diabetes on the website www.diabetesde.org/leitfaden.