ABSTRACT
Diabetes is a highly prevalent and damaging disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2017), 30.3 million Americans (9.4% of the U.S. population) live with a diabetes diagnosis, with approximately 7 million undiagnosed cases. Diabetes increases the risk for a variety of potentially life-threatening health conditions such as hypertension, heart attack, stroke, eye problems, kidney disease, and lower extremity conditions (American Diabetes Association, 2006). Diabetes was also the seventh leading cause of death listed on U.S. death certificates in 2007 and is likely to be underreported as a cause of death (CDC, 2017).
