Diabetes is a very complex disease that can affect the human body in a multitude of ways. Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, and amputations, diabetes also claims the lives of more than 80,000 Americans each year. According to the CDC, it was the country's seventh leading cause of death by disease in 2016.    Harlan County was ranked 114 out of 120 states in Kentucky for Health Outcomes and has a diabetic rate of 19% followed with an obesity rate of 35%.  Harlan County Family & Consumer Sciences collaborated with the Harlan County Health Department and Kentucky Homeplace of Harlan County to offer the Diabetes Self-Management class.  This program was offered for 6 weeks with a total of over 25 participants each week.  The program would start off with a guest speaker of expertise in the area of topic for the week.  Some of the guest speakers were Podiatrist, Optometrist, Dieticians, Physicians, Fitness Instructors, and the last program was the sizing and ordering of diabetic shoes.  Each class also taught curriculum on what diabetes was and ways that it could be controlled through proper diet and exercise.  At the end of each program, it was followed through with diabetic friendly meals.  The program consisted of meeting once a week for 6 weeks with each session lasting 3 hours. 

Findings from the program are as stated:

 During the programs, all participants express the need for more information that they do not feel they receive from their physicians and are always left feeling like they do not know how to manage their diabetes when they are first diagnosed. 

•  95% of participants by the end of the program expressed that they had learned a great deal more and felt that they were in better control of their numbers. 
• 80% of participants stated that they had a better understanding of what diabetes was and how it affected their body.  
• 100% of participants stated that they are actively engaged in some type of physical activity each day.  
• 95% reported better glucose readings by the end of the program.