SJR123 Summary

• Recognizes April as Foot Health Awareness Month in Alabama to raise awareness about diabetes and its complications.

• Notes that diabetes affects 23.6 million Americans annually and costs $174 billion per year, with approximately 1.6 million new cases diagnosed yearly.

• Highlights that diabetes causes serious complications including blindness, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and neuropathy, with 60-70 percent of people with diabetes experiencing nervous system damage.

• States that one amputation due to diabetes occurs every 30 seconds worldwide, but experts estimate 85 percent of these amputations could be prevented through comprehensive diabetes control and patient education.

• Encourages health care providers, insurers, and purchasers to support awareness and education efforts regarding diabetes, its complications, and proper medical management.