#Dynacare4Diabetes wellness initiative returns to support Manitobans’ health!

For the past two years, Dynacare and Diabetes Canada have worked together to deliver #Dynacare4Diabetes, a diabetes wellness initiative focused on supporting Manitobans with risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. When the campaign initially launched in November 2018, about 377,000 Manitobans (27% of the province) had undiagnosed or diagnosed diabetes or prediabetes. Since that time, this number has risen by nearly 20,000, and is expected to reach 480,000 in the next 10 years.
 
COVID-19 can also cause more severe symptoms and complications in some people living with diabetes, making it important now more than ever for Manitobans – especially those from any of the identified high-risk groups – to understand their risk for this all-too-common disease.
  The goal of this initiative is to encourage Manitobans to assess their risk for diabetes, consult their doctor and, if recommended, get tested at any Dynacare location or mobile A1C clinic using the A1C test from Oct. 21 to Nov. 30, 2020.
 
Between Oct. 21 and Nov. 30, Dynacare will offer free A1C tests at every Dynacare location and mobile A1C clinic in Manitoba, making a 50-cent donation to Diabetes Canada for every A1C test completed, up to a total of $25,000.
 
This initiative comes at no cost to Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living as it is fully funded by Dynacare, including the cost of all additional A1C tests ordered.
  The A1C test is a blood test that measures what percentage of the body’s hemoglobin — a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen — is coated with sugar. The higher a patient’s A1C level, the poorer their blood sugar control and the higher their risk of experiencing complications from diabetes. The test may be done at any time – regardless of when a patient has last eaten – and it reflects average blood sugar levels from the past two to three months. More information regarding blood sugar testing can be found here.
 

For Manitobans who have never been tested for diabetes, or are not sure if they are at risk, Dynacare and Diabetes Canada recommend starting the screening process by reviewing the risk factors and symptoms of diabetes.

Like any other medical issue or concern, speaking to one’s doctor is a good place to start. The doctor can inform their patient if a blood sugar test is necessary and, if recommended, issue a lab requisition form (a document saying indicating a certain test should be completed). Participants in this campaign can ensure that their test leads to a donation to Diabetes Canada by bringing the form to any Dynacare location or mobile A1C clinic in Manitoba and having their A1C test done between Oct. 21 and Nov. 30, 2020.
 

Since there is no need to fast before the A1C test, Manitobans can visit a Dynacare location or mobile A1C clinic at a time that is convenient for them. It is however recommended that they check the operational hours and parking availability at the Dynacare facility they intend on visiting in advance, as these may vary depending on the location.
 
A blood draw typically takes about five to ten minutes, and Dynacare staff are professionally trained to ensure that patients are as comfortable as possible throughout the collection process. In response to COVID-19, Dynacare has also implemented a number of additional safety measures including enhanced cleaning processes, physical distancing protocols and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) at all of their locations and mobile A1C clinics.
 
In most cases, it takes Dynacare 48 hours to analyze a patient’s sample and return the results to their doctor. Doctors who receive test results with blood sugar levels above the normal range typically contact their patients directly to arrange a consultation and discuss a treatment plan. 
 
Manitobans are encouraged to read these FAQs for before, during and after testing if they have any questions about the Dynacare testing process.
  Manitobans are encouraged to contact and consult with their primary care physician if suffering from any of the following symptoms:

• Unusual thirst
• Frequent urination
• Weight change (gain or loss)
• Extreme fatigue or lack of energy
• Blurred vision
• Frequent or recurring infections
• Cuts and bruises that are slow to heal
• Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
• Trouble getting or maintaining an erection

 

Manitobans who are over the age of 40, or have one or more of the risk factors below, should speak to their doctor about getting screened for diabetes every three years.

Risk factors include:

• Having a parent, brother or sister with diabetes
• Being a member of a high-risk group (African, Arab, Asian, Hispanic, Indigenous, or South Asian descent; low socioeconomic status)
• Having health complications that are associated with diabetes
• Having given birth to a baby that weighed more than nine pounds (four kilograms) at birth or having had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
• Having been diagnosed with prediabetes (impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose)
• Having high blood pressure
• Having high cholesterol or other fats in the blood
• Being overweight, especially if that weight is mostly carried around the stomach
• Having been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome
• Having been diagnosed with Acanthosis nigricans (darkened patches of skin)
• Having been diagnosed with any of the following psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder
• Having been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea
• Having been prescribed a glucocorticoid medication by a doctor

  The purpose of this campaign is not to diagnose diabetes. It is a wellness initiative that is intended to make it easier for Manitobans with risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes to access an A1C test. The A1C test is a method of screening a blood sample for its A1C hemoglobin level. The results and other factors are evaluated by the ordering physician, who is responsible for interpreting and sharing the results with their patients and ultimately determining a diagnosis.

For more information on screening for diabetes in adults, please visit: http://guidelines.diabetes.ca/cpg/chapter4.