ADA uses Thrivable study to launch the Amputation Prevention Alliance

Cleveland, OH — According to a national survey released by real-time market research platform Thrivable in partnership with the American Diabetes Association^® (ADA), over 154,000 amputations occur every year in the United States, with the majority of those procedures being preventable, but due to challenges in accessing quality care, patients are forced into unnecessary amputations and even death.

Survey data confirms that far too many people with diabetes are unaware about their own risk for an amputation. Despite diabetes being the leading cause of amputations, 65 percent of those surveyed said they believed they were not at risk for amputation and just 1 in 4 of those surveyed understood the signs and symptoms of conditions that can lead to an amputation such as peripheral neuropathy, peripheral artery disease or critical limb ischemia.

"Today, the American Diabetes Association is proud to announce the launch of the Amputation Prevention Alliance," said Charles D. Henderson, ADA's chief executive officer. "This Alliance, through the groundwork laid by the ADA's Health Equity Now platform, will increase awareness among patients and health care professionals of risk factors for amputations and opportunities to avoid these procedures. This initiative aims to advance needed policy changes to ensure that health care professionals have the tools necessary to prevent unnecessary procedures and save lives moving forward. We can, and must, do better." 

For many people living with diabetes, access to preventative care – and the chances of avoiding an amputation – comes down to race, income level, and zip code.

• African American respondents (55.2%) are nearly 40% more likely to know someone, and Latinos (58.9%) are 49% more likely to know someone who has had an amputation.

• Additionally, 67% of patients with the highest income ($150K+) do not know anyone who has faced an amputation compared to 53% of patients from the lowest income levels ($75K and lower).

"Other important findings showed there is a considerable lack of knowledge about peripheral artery disease (PAD), critical limb ischemia (CLI), the signs and symptoms, and the ability to lower the amputation risk by treatments," notes Thrivable Research Lead Maria Muccioli, PhD. "Closing this information gap is critical to ensuring patients can access the tools necessary to avoid an amputation as early as possible." 

• Latinos (82.3%) with diabetes were 33% less likely to know, and African Americans (78.2%) were 22% less likely to know than white respondents (74.8%). African American respondents (55.2%) are nearly 40% more likely to know someone, and Latinos (58.9%) are 49% more likely to know someone who has had an amputation.

• Younger patients with diabetes were less likely to know about PAD, but more likely to know about CLI - a more advanced stage of PAD.

The Amputation Prevention Alliance's work will focus on addressing communities facing disproportionately high rates of amputations and amputated-related mortality, including through advancing needed policy changes, driving clinician awareness of opportunities to prevent amputations, and empowering patients to advocate for their best care. This three-year effort will aim to improve care for all people living with diabetes, and enhance access to quality care, technology, and necessary interventions. The aim is to reduce the number of unnecessary amputations that take place every year in the United States. The right to avoid an amputation is a centerpiece of the ADA's #HealthEquityNow platform.

The Thrivable results were based on a national online survey between April 12 and April 27, 2022, of more than 2,900 people living with diabetes. View the full report.

About Thrivable
Thrivable connects patients and companies to create better products and services for the next generation of health care. Our real-time market research platform makes it easy for patients to be their own advocates by sharing their insights, stories, and perspectives via surveys, interviews, focus groups, and usability studies. Healthcare companies turn to Thrivable to ensure the voice of the customer drives important business decisions every day. 

About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For 80 years the ADA has been driving discovery and research to treat, manage and prevent diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. The organization helps people with diabetes thrive by fighting for their rights and developing programs, advocacy, and education designed to improve their quality of life. To learn more or to get involved, visit the ADA at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383).