The Amputation Prevention Alliance (APA) is dedicated to providing opportunities to bring awareness to the diabetes-related amputation crisis and educate providers and communities about ways to work together to eradicate these unnecessary amputations.
See recordings of past APA events and resources below for information and assistance in addressing needed policy changes, increasing patient and provider awareness, and empowering patient advocacy around amputation prevention.
Preventing Diabetes-Related Amputations: Missed Opportunities in the Patient Care Journey
Most diabetes-related amputations can be prevented. These are steps that both people with diabetes and their health care providers can take to help prevent these amputations. Join the Amputation Prevention Alliance for a critical discussion surrounding the missed opportunities in a patient’s care journey. Our panelists discuss raising awareness about the key areas for improvement and proactive measures that can be taken for people at risk of a diabetes-related amputation.
Understanding the Numbers: A Conversation About Health Disparities and Diabetes-Related Amputations
Over 154,000 diabetes-related amputations occur annually in the U.S.and most are preventable.
Rates of amputations are significantly higher among minority communities. Black Americans are four times more likely to have an amputation than non-Hispanic white Americans. Latinx communities are 50 percent more likely to have an amputation, and Indigenous communities face amputation rates that are two times higher than those among non-Hispanic white Americans.
Quite simply, whether you have a limb amputated can come down to the color of your skin, how much money you make, and where you live.
Join the Amputation Prevention Alliance and our panel of experts as we discuss the factors contributing to the racial disparities in preventing and caring for diabetes-related amputations.
Dialogue with the ADA: Understanding the Risks and Warning Signs of Diabetes-Related Amputations
Every three minutes and thirty seconds in the United States, a limb is amputated due to diabetes—and most are avoidable. People with diabetes can develop many different foot problems. Even ordinary problems can get worse and lead to serious complications. Many people with diabetes have peripheral artery disease (which reduces blood flow to the feet) and neuropathy. Together, these problems make it easy to get ulcers and infections that may lead to amputation.
During this one-hour webinar, panelists discussed the risks and warning signs that people living with diabetes should be mindful of when caring for their feet. Our panelists also highlighted questions to ask your doctor and the importance of foot screenings and foot checks.
Dialogue with the ADA: Addressing Opportunities & Challenges of Preventing Diabetes-Related Amputations
Amputations are on the rise in the United States—154,000 people with diabetes undergo amputation each year. As high as 80% of non-traumatic lower limb amputations happen due to diabetes complications and most are preventable. There are several barriers and challenges in preventing amputations for people living with diabetes. Systemic bias, a lack of access to care, and a general lack of awareness about conditions that can lead to amputation are largely responsible for this increase.
During this one-hour webinar, our panelists discussed diabetes-related amputation prevention in the U.S., including understanding the gaps in the health care system, empowering patients in their care journey, and the research opportunities for amputation prevention. Additionally, our panel of clinical experts discussed ways health care professionals can work to decrease the number of diabetes-related amputations and how to shift major amputations to a last-resort option.