Allow us to help you assess your risk for diabetes and whether you should schedule a visit to your doctor.
Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes:
- Always thirsty
- Always hungry
- Tired all the time
- Need to urinate often
- Blurry vision
- Sudden weight loss
- Wounds that won’t heal
- Dry skin and mouth
- Vaginal infections
- Sexual problems
- Overweight
- Sedentary
- Family history of diabetes
- History of gestational diabetes
- Numb or tingling hands or feet
If you can say “yes” to any of these symptoms, now is the time to read the questions and answers below and take a risk test for diabetes. Follow the link at the bottom of the page to take the test.
Q. Why do we need to have a "risk test" at all? What purpose does it serve?
A. The risk test is a tool to help raise awareness about the seriousness of diabetes and its risk factors.
Q. Why aren't "symptoms" included in the "scoring" part of the risk test?
A. While some people with type 2 diabetes experience symptoms, others may go seven to 10 years without obvious symptoms. In addition, some of the symptoms of diabetes mimic other diseases or conditions, making it harder to reach an accurate diagnosis without additional information.
Symptoms are also difficult to define, quantify and assess in self-administered questionnaires and add little to a questionnaire to identify those at higher risk for undiagnosed diabetes.
Q. Since diabetes is more common in African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics/Latinos and Pacific Islanders, why aren't these groups included in the risk factors for diabetes?
A. It is true that type 2 diabetes is more common in the above mentioned groups than in Caucasians. However, "race" or "ethnicity" alone is not a statistically significant predictor of diabetes. More important are the other factors such as age, overweight/obesity, and lack of exercise.
Q. What is the risk test based on?
A. The diabetes risk test is based on a thorough study about evaluating diabetes risk. It was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control. The results of the study were published in the March 1995 issue of Diabetes Care.
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