New way developed for mapping diabetes across the population

A new system for monitoring diabetes trends has been developed by scientists in the United States. The Alberta Diabetes Surveillance System provides information on diabetes trends in the state, and is backed up by a new interactive website that offers the expertise and research from healthcare professionals, health policy and decision-makers, as well as members of the general public.
The surveillance schemen, formed by Alberta Health and Wellness and the Institute of Health Economics, has been investigating different trends concerning diabetes, associated health conditions and the access of healthcare services, and issues a two-yearly Diabetes Atlas report on their findings. The resource also helps in highlighting where effective services and care need to be put in place.
The team attempt to identify trends and potential hotspots in the diabetes population, and the website can be used to check on a range of variables, including incidence, the amount of new diabetes cases during a certain time period, prevalence, diabetic population ratios and details on mortality.
Jeff Johnso, from the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health, who led the study, commented “Access to current information and trends can be vital in the planning and delivery of services in this province.”
He added “All provinces contribute to a national diabetes surveillance system, but the Alberta Diabetes Surveillance System is an embellished version. The new site is leading the way in diabetes reporting and information sharing.”