HI HR24

Urges the Department of Health to endorse the "Screen at 23" campaign that screens adult Asian Americans for type 2 diabetes at a body mass index of 23 instead of the current standard of 25.

Approximately 130,000 people (9.1% of Hawaii's population) have diabetes, 442,000 (30.9%) have pre-diabetes, and Asian Americans comprise 56.2% of Hawaii's population.

Asian Americans are 30% more likely to develop diabetes than White Americans and develop it at a lower body mass index, with current screening guidelines missing 32% of diabetes diagnoses in Hawaii.

Lowering the screening threshold to 23 would unmask thousands of new diabetes cases and more than three times that amount of pre-diabetes cases, enabling early treatment and intervention.

Urges the Department of Health to encourage all public and private health care providers and facilities to participate in the "Screen at 23" campaign efforts.