California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

House ResolutionNo. 43


Introduced by Assembly Member Beth Gaines

March 14, 2016


House Resolution No. 43—Relative to type I diabetes awareness.

P1    1WHEREAS, Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects an
2estimated 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3 percent of the population,
3on a daily basis; and

4WHEREAS, Approximately 3.8 million people in California
5are living with diabetes, and it is estimated that over one million
6Californians are undiagnosed; and

7WHEREAS, Diabetes costs an estimated $37.1 billion in
8California each year; and

9WHEREAS, Type I diabetes accounts for $14.9 billion in health
10care costs in the United States each year; and

11WHEREAS, Type I diabetes, previously called juvenile-onset
12diabetes, occurs when the body does not produce insulin, a
13hormone that is necessary to convert sugar, or glucose, into energy;
14and

15WHEREAS, Type I diabetes is the third most common
16autoimmune disease found among children; and

17WHEREAS, Between 2001 and 2009 there was a 21-percent
18increase in the prevalence of type I diabetes in people under 20
19years of age; and

20WHEREAS, Only 5 percent of diabetics have type I diabetes,
21and it is typically diagnosed in children and young adults; and

22WHEREAS, Early diagnosis of type I diabetes can help prevent
23diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal condition that develops
24from high blood glucose levels; and

P2    1WHEREAS, In 2009, among hospital discharges of children
2and young people 0 to 17 years of age, about 74 percent had
3diabetes as the first-listed diagnosis, and of these patients, 64
4percent of the diagnoses were for diabetic ketoacidosis; and

5WHEREAS, Education concerning type I diabetes is critical to
6raising awareness and diagnosing and treating this condition
7effectively; and

8WHEREAS, With the help of insulin therapy and other
9treatments, young children and adolescents can learn to manage
10their condition and live long, healthy lives; now, therefore, be it

11Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the
12Assembly encourages all health care practitioners with children
13under their care to discuss the warning signs and symptoms of type
14I diabetes with the parents or guardians of each child at least once
15annually at well-child care visits from birth to 5 years of age; and
16be it further

17Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
18of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



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