According to the International Diabetes Foundation, more than 371 million people around the world struggle with diabetes. Many more are undiagnosed, and this number is growing. Since diabetes has such a major impact on world health, these individuals will require quality information to help care for their own health or the health of a friend or family member. The Medical Library Association Guide to Finding Out about Diabetes provides a comprehensive list of resources for patients to learn about types 1 and 2 and gestational diabetes, the options for diabetes management and lifestyle modification, and the related conditions that may arise. Diabetes is associated with a number of additional health complications affecting the skin, eyes, kidneys and other organs. The three types of diabetes discussed in this MLA guide affect patients at all stages of life. Identifying current, easily digestible information is crucial to helping patients and their families manage the disease and its effects.
The Medical Library Association Guide to Finding Out about Diabetes is organized in clear sections and provides a solid background on a variety of topics, like collaborating with healthcare providers and travel concerns for diabetes patients. Readers will find tips and sample reference interview questions to make distinguishing between types 1 and 2 and gestational diabetes easier and allow librarians (or anyone providing consumer health information) to guide patients to relevant material. This title features suggestions for print and electronic monographs and serials, free web resources and audio-visual media options, as well as children's books, multiple language materials, and recipe collections appropriate for diabetics – all helping to meet the needs of a wide audience.
One of the most useful features of this book is the layout and organization of the information. It is easy to navigate, and the clear, succinct sections offer providers a way to quickly hone in on relevant diabetes information in multiple formats. Healthcare providers who treat diabetes patients will find valuable recommendations to complement patient education materials in this title as well. In addition to being a go-to reference for current resources, this guide would be a useful tool for information providers who are interested in building or adding to a collection of diabetes or consumer health information for patients or library visitors. The impact diabetes has on global health is extensive, and people will increasingly seek quality information to learn about this disease and its complications as time goes on, making The Medical Library Association Guide to Finding Out about Diabetes a useful choice for any consumer health collection.
