DDTP Diabetes Surveillance Alaska Area

The Alaska Area has one of the most comprehensive diabetes surveillance systems in AI/AN health care. This program started in 1985 and provides on-going statewide tracking of diabetes prevalence in AI/AN people living in Alaska. The Area tracks the prevalence and incidence of complications from diabetes: renal failure, amputations, and blindness. All Alaska Area diabetes grant sites are provided with current prevalence data, both regional and statewide, to meet diabetes grant requirements. This data also helps grantees direct clinical and primary prevention programming. The data surveillance team makes site visits to regions (including CRNA, KANA, Nome, YK, KIC and CATG) to update the epidemiology register by reviewing charts for current International Classification of Diseases (ICD) coding of diabetes, prediabetes, and diabetes during pregnancy. The program also shares information through peer reviewed publications, when appropriate.