The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) is partnering with Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Inc to develop an interactive educational tool kit designed to increase diabetes awareness and understanding of diabetes among Hispanics.

"There is a diabetes epidemic among Hispanics in this country, and the tragedy is that it need not have happened. At least 10% of Latinos have the disease, and it is more likely that one in six Hispanics currently are diabetic. Undiagnosed and untreated diabetes may be the single biggest health threat facing our community today," noted Raul Yzaguirre, NCLR President.

"Novo Nordisk is dedicated to improving the lives of people with diabetes," said Martin Soeters, president of Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Inc. "We are pleased to partner with NCLR to raise awareness of diabetes and empower Latinos with the tools to treat optimally and prevent this devastating disease."

NCLR and Novo Nordisk will provide training and develop an educational tool kit for use by promotores de salud working with Hispanic community-based organizations. Promotores are lay health educators who provide health education and counseling and have been shown to be one of the most effective, and cost-effective, ways of educating Latinos about health issues such as diet and lifestyle choices. The pilot program will be tested in three sites: Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center Inc in Union City, California; Atascosa Health Center Inc in Pleasanton, Texas; and La Clinica del Pueblo Inc in Washington, D.C.

"While they are not medical professionals, promotores are among the most respected members of their community who have served as a source of information and support for their neighbors for years. Our goal is to replicate throughout the nation the extremely promising results that Promotores programs have achieved," continued Yzaguirre.

The tool kit will include a bilingual trigger video and other materials that help educate Latinos about the risk factors for and symptoms of diabetes; the importance of diabetes screening; and finally, the course of treatment for the disease.