Survey looks at men with diabetes

In addition to dealing with the day-to-day aspects of diabetes management that involve blood glucose, nutrition and lifestyle management, men in the United States with diabetes are also grappling with other physical, emotional and sexual health issues according to survey findings released today by the American Diabetes Association.

According to the research, only 30 percent of men surveyed claimed to know "a lot" about their disease and only 25 percent of men with diabetes reported eating balanced and nutritious meals. Additionally, 60 percent of men felt that more information could help them better manage their disease, and 65 percent felt more information could help them have more useful conversations with their health care providers about their disease.

To respond to this need, the American Diabetes Association is launching a national educational campaign to provide men with diabetes -- and their spouses -- with information and resources to better manage their diabetes and the array of other health conditions that can be associated with this disease.

Featuring a variety of new resources specifically for men, the campaign includes The Modern Man's Guide to Living Well with Diabetes handbook, an enhanced men's health section on the American Diabetes Association Web site at diabetes.org/menshealth and a public service announcement.

"Men can take small steps that can have a big impact on their ability to better manage their diabetes," said Dr. Bergenstal. "Doing what they know, like staying active, sticking to a healthful diet, learning about increased risks for related conditions, and talking with a doctor if they are suffering from bothersome symptoms, is the key to managing diabetes today."

Of the nearly 24 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes, 12 million are men. Many of these men are unaware that they are at an increased risk for complications such as heart attack, stroke, blindness, disease and amputation, as well as other conditions that affect their physical, sexual and emotional health.

FYI: (800) 342-2383) or www.diabetes.org

Volunteers to be used in avian-flu vaccine tests

Bird flu might have flown south of the radar screen, but it's still a threat to our health.

In the ongoing search for an effective vaccine, researchers at St. Louis University School of Medicine will help test new combinations of vaccines in 500 people to see if the body can build resistance to the dangerous virus.

"We don't know what strain will emerge as the next pandemic and we don't know when that will happen, but we all believe that will happen sometime," said Dr. Robert Belshe, director of the school's Center for Vaccine Development and the study's principal investigator. "This is preparation for making a vaccine that will be effective in preventing serious illness or death in the event of a bird flu epidemic."

The U.S. government developed an avian flu vaccine in 2004, but the strains of bird flu now circulating have mutated.