Diabetes educator highlights local prevalence, prevention programs and clinic services

Amanda Malay, a diabetes educator at MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital, used a Dec. 5 community briefing to review diabetes basics, local prevalence, and services aimed at prevention and self‑management. "The 8.2 percent is where we were," she said when describing Lincoln County prevalence, and she contrasted that with a national rate she gave as 10.9% and a Maine average of 10.4%.

Malay explained how diabetes is diagnosed and monitored, noting common tests and thresholds: "If you're above 6.5 percent, that's diabetes; anywhere from 5.7 to 6.4 percent is prediabetes and below 5.7 percent is a normal A1C," she said. She also described fasting glucose ranges often used in clinical practice and the oral glucose tolerance test used less commonly.

She described local programs available to residents: a diabetes prevention program at the YMCA and a MaineHealth prevention offering for people with A1C in the prediabetes range, and the Diabetes Self‑Management Education Services at Lincoln Hospital. Malay said formal diabetes education reaches about 65.6% of local people with diabetes and urged broader participation, noting that education typically reduces A1C by about 1 percentage point and lowers risks of heart disease and other complications.

Malay outlined planned service improvements: on‑site A1C testing at the Wellness Center, a full care clinic, and potential diabetes eye exams; she also encouraged patients to call the diabetes education team for help with medication questions and foot care checks. "Diabetes isn't fun. If you need to complain, give me a call," she said, offering direct contact and support.

The presentation included audience Q&A about detection methods, diabetic foot complications, and integrated services at the Wellness Center and primary care sites.