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NIDDK Launches Campaign To Increase Awareness
About Celiac Disease
Right
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Brief Description:
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
has launched a campaign to increase awareness of celiac disease.
Transcript:
AKINSO: Ever hear of "celiac disease"?
Probably not. That's why the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive
and Kidney Diseases has launched a campaign to increase awareness of
the condition — an autoimmune disorder that interferes with the absorption
of nutrients from food. Symptoms of celiac disease range from gas, diarrhea,
and abdominal pain, to delayed growth, certain skin rashes, infertility
and osteoporosis. Dr. Frank Hamilton, NIDDK's Chief of the Digestive
Diseases Program in the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition,
said the campaign is intended to increase awareness of the disease, resulting
in earlier diagnosis and better outcomes. HAMILTON: Well some of the
primary goals is really to change some of the misconceptions about this
disease as being a uncommon disease. Based on current evidence there
is one percent or about 3 million Americans are affected with this condition.
And our goal is to educate the community — first of all — about what
it is and also the prevalence of the disease. Secondly, we want to tell
them about ordering the appropriate blood test for patients with celiac
disease. And the thirdly to educate the community about the consequences
of celiac disease and hopefully if anything that happens we can stop
the misperception that this is a rare disease. And hopefully patients
who have this condition will not suffer because of misdiagnosis. AKINSO:
The campaign offers materials and resources for health professionals
and the public about the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and management
of celiac disease — including fact sheets, booklets, practice tools
for health professionals, NIH research information, and resources from
professional and voluntary organizations that focus on the disease. For
more information about the campaign or to download any of the materials,
visit www.celiac.nih.gov This is Wally Akinso at the National Institutes
of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
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| Date: 08/11/2006 |
Reporter:
Wally Akinso |
Sound
Bite:
Dr. Frank Hamilton |
Topic:
Celiac Disease |
| Institute(s): NIDDK |
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