Over 40 per cent of Canadians diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, such as diabetes, feel confused or overwhelmed after leaving their doctor's office, shows a Leger Marketing survey commissioned by the Rexall family of pharmacies.
When faced with the abundance of information, medication and tools needed for a disease such as diabetes, many Canadians are daunted by the prospect of managing their illness alone. To provide a convenient one-stop resource for Canadians living with diabetes, Rexall and Accu-Chek(R) recently launched the Rexall Diabetes Starter Kit to ensure the newly diagnosed receive high-quality information and guidance to help with their diabetes management routine. The kit includes all the tools and information they need - in one package - to begin their treatment (with the exception of prescription medication).
With this product, Rexall is providing a starting point for Canadians to ask their pharmacist questions about their medication management, the tools they'll need to monitor blood glucose and an opportunity to receive accurate information about the needs and requirements specific to their condition.
"It is essential that Canadians with diabetes are able to access the diabetes information and care they need in the communities where they live," said Ellen Malcolmson, President and CEO, Canadian Diabetes Association. "Having ready access to integrated healthcare teams, which includes pharmacists, physicians and diabetes educators will help to ensure optimal diabetes management outcomes for the more than 3 million Canadians who will be living with diabetes by 2010."
If left untreated or without daily supervision, diabetes can quickly spiral out of control and put the patient at risk of potentially fatal complications. According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, diabetes is a contributing factor in the deaths of approximately 41,500 Canadians each year and approximately 80 per cent of people with diabetes will die as a result of heart disease or stroke. Estimates show diabetes will cost the Canadian healthcare system $15.6 billion a year by 2010. However, with helpful tools like the Rexall Diabetes Starter Kit, Canadians with diabetes can educate themselves about their condition and take control of their daily management with ongoing care and attentiveness.
The Rexall Diabetes Starter Kit consists of: - Lifestyle assistance tools, such as: - An introduction letter to patients - A DVD explaining important diet recommendations - Life Coach DVD Educational offer - The Rexall pedometer, which encourages exercise - an important aspect of managing diabetes - A mail-in-free offer for an electronic Carb Counter to help manage nutritional intake - The Rexall Resource - Living Healthy with Diabetes Guide - Rexall Reminder Ready program information - Tools for blood sugar monitoring include: - Accu-Chek Blood Glucose Monitoring System and Lancing Device - Accu-Chek 360 Software coupons - Accu-Chek Lancets Coupons - The Three Day Challenge Log Book - Testing seven times a day for three consecutive days helps you identify important daily patterns
The Rexall survey also revealed that when asked how they would feel after learning that they can control their potentially life-threatening disease with daily medication as well as strict diet, exercise and other lifestyle changes, 45 per cent of young Canadians under the age of 25 said they would feel scared, while 70 per cent of older patients said they would feel relieved.
"With diabetes on the rise it's so important for Canadians, young and old, to get as much information as possible from trusted resources like their pharmacist," said Tracey Phillips, Director, Pharmacy Services and Marketing, Rexall. "Rexall created the Diabetes Starter Kit to provide a convenient, one-stop, easy-to-access resource for every newly diagnosed Canadian who is feeling overwhelmed or confused by his or her situation."
Other interesting statistics from the Rexall survey include the following: - Less than one in 10 Canadians would rely solely on their doctor for information - 67 per cent of Canadians would turn to the internet for information about a new diagnosis - 50 per cent of respondents would turn to others with the same illness for information and advice after learning of a diagnosis
The Rexall Diabetes Starter Kit is available nationally at Rexall and Rexall Pharma Plus stores across Canada. The kit is free with the purchase of 100 Accu-Chek(R) Aviva or 102 Accu-Chek(R) Compact Plus test strips.
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