Representatives from the American Diabetes Association and the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists released a consensus statement about the use of language in diabetes care and education. The statement provides recommendations for language used by healthcare professionals and others when discussing diabetes through spoken or written words.

Considered one of the Five Pillars of Islam, Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar that is observed by Muslims as a time of fasting. Muslims with diabetes may be exempted from fasting during this period, but many choose to fast. Patients should be assessed beforehand, as dawn to dusk fasting could put them at risk for hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and dehydration. How can care best be individualized to meet the needs of this patient during this critical period?

Multicultural societies exist worldwide, and culture can greatly impact the success of self-managed treatment plans. Diabetes management requires people to engage in multiple healthy behaviors that are shaped by an individual’s culture, and culturally appropriate diabetes care requires practitioners to have competencies in specific areas of cultural knowledge. Amparo Gonzalez, MPH, RN, CDCES, FADCES presents on culturally relevant diabetes care for the Latino population.