Diabetes is a serious global problem. Recent projections suggest that at least 194 million people suffer from diabetes worldwide, and the World Health Organization (2004) suggests that this number will increase to 333 million by 2025. Currently diabetes affects 15 million people (about 8% of the population) in the United States. In addition, an estimated 12 million people in the United States have diabetes and are undiagnosed. The costs of this multifaceted illness cannot be quantified, but financial analysts suggest that they are staggering. This article supports the development of a federal policy on diabetes mellitus in an effort to control, provide fair and equitable access to care, and improve culturally appropriate outreach strategies.
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