Do I Need to Find Out About Diabetes?
This diabetes poster encourages readers to find out more about diabetes and whether they are at risk of having diabetes. It provides information for prisoners, their families and Corrections staff about diabetes, including who is most at risk and possible symptoms.
The full resource:
NOTE: This Department of Corrections resource cannot be ordered from this website. All men’s prisons throughout New Zealand received hard copies of this resource in July 2013.
Find out about diabetes
Many people have diabetes and don’t know they have it.
Who is most at risk of getting type 2 diabetes?
You are more at risk of getting type 2 diabetes if you:
- are 40 or over
- are Māori, Pasifika, Asian or Middle Eastern and are 30 or over
- are overweight
- have high blood pressure
- have a family history of diabetes
- have had a heart attack or a stroke.
How do I know if I might have diabetes?
Some people have no symptoms at all, but sometimes people:
- are thirsty all the time
- pee a lot
- may lose weight
- feel tired all the time
- have blurry vision
- have sores and infections that don’t get better.
Find out more
Put in a health request form (health chit) to talk to a corrections nurse from your health centre.
Do I need to find out about diabetes?
Prisoner (Mike): Man, I’m tired. I’m thirsty all the time too. Don’t know what’s wrong with me.
Corrections Officer: Does anyone in your family have diabetes?
Prisoner: Yep, Mum does.
Corrections Officer: Maybe you should see a nurse, Mike.
Prisoner: Nah, I’m OK.
Corrections Officer: Well, you are in the high-risk group for type 2 diabetes. And type 2 diabetes can be very serious. If you don’t treat it, you could get really sick.
LATER
Prisoner: How do I know if I’ve got diabetes?
Nurse: Some people have no symptoms – they feel fine. Other people get really thirsty, pee a lot, feel tired all the time or have other symptoms.
Prisoner: I’m thirsty and tired all the time. One of the officers said I should get it checked out because I’m over 30 and overweight. And Mum has diabetes.
Nurse: It’s good that you came to see me. We’ll check it out, and if you have diabetes, we can manage it.
Prisoner: How? What will I have to do?
Nurse: It depends. Most people need to lose weight and do more exercise. Some people need injections of insulin, and some people need pills.
Prisoner: I do have diabetes. But I’m glad I found out. I can manage it now and I’m not so tired all the time.