Impact of a Priority Health Issue on a Population Group - Report Example

Project (Global and National Health) Impact of a Priority Health Issue on a Population Group and Implication for the Nurse Table of Contents Table ofContents 2 Introduction 3 Part A –Impact on the Individual 3 Part B – Impact on the Family 5 Part C – Population Impact 6 Part D – Implications for the Role of the Nurse 7 Nurses Assisting Individuals 8 Nurses Assisting Family Members 9 9 Nurses Playing Effective Role at the National Level 10 10 Conclusion 11 References 12 Introduction Australia comprises diverse cultural people from every part of the world. In this regard, Australia is recognised as a country having multicultural people. The indigenous people are the central part of the multicultural society of Australia. The indigenous people are the first inhabitants in the continent of Australia and its surrounding islands. The culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander is diverse as well as complex (TR7 Pty Ltd, n.d.). The Aboriginal people suffer more from diabetes as compared to other inhabitants in Australia. In remote areas, Aboriginal people seem to be reporting about diabetes twice than other inhabitants. In certain communities of Aboriginal people, the rate of occurrence of diabetes is calculated to be around 30 per cent (Diabetes Australia–Vic, 2008). With these considerations, the report emphasizes the impact of diabetes to an individual, family and population with a specific consideration to indigenous people in Australia. Moreover, the report will also intend to discuss the role played along with the assistance to be offered by nurse in relation to the context of diabetes affected indigenous Australians. Part A –Impact on the Individual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the individuals who are recognised to be at a higher degree of risk in the spectrum of chronic disease. These individuals are identified to be at high risk with regard to type 2 diabetes. Aboriginal people are identified to be suffering from type 2 diabetes to a greater extent than other inhabitants in Australia (Baker IDI, 2012). An individual having diabetes faces greater challenges in order to get adapted to diabetic condition. An individual having diabetes faces several health problems or complications in relation to his/her physical health which unfavourably affect the person’s working and private life. Individuals having diabetes should be offered adequate support from their families as well as friends. Individuals are required to be provided proper medication, along with creating awareness about the value of time management and consumption of appropriate amount of food in order to keep the glucose level in blood to a safe margin. When the glucose level in the blood falls which is recognised as hypoglycaemia due to imbalance in food intake, exercise and medication, an individual is identified to be suffering from palpitations, confusion, sweating, unable to concentrate, tremor and unconsciousness. On the other hand, when the level of glucose in blood is high for a long duration of time, an individual is under severe as well as life threatening situations. In this regard, during such times these individuals are required to be offered with emergency medical services (Baker IDI, 2012). There are certain other consequences which are attached with diabetes for an individual which include psychological, cultural and social impact of the prevailing health condition (Baker IDI, 2012). Aboriginal individuals possess diabetes, which is culturally embedded. Additionally, there is also a lack of suitable cultural policies and services leading to inadequate treatment as well as medical facilities (Brown, 2013). Similarly, these affected people might get psychologically and culturally impacted at the time of being administered with coping mechanism to deal with diabetes. As diabetes is primarily a lifestyle disorder, thus there is a requirement to address the imperative psychological and cultural along with social needs of an individual that entail ensuring quality of life and wellbeing, facilitating to develop adjustments with the disease and removing the prevailing barriers related to care. There is a vital need to alleviate the prevailing level of psychological stress as well as emotional imbalance due to the disease amid the suffering people such as aborigines. Moreover, other inevitable impacts might comprise denial, anger, depression, guilt along with acceptance (Sridhar & Madhu, 2002). Part B – Impact on the Family Family plays an important role to provide adequate assistance to the family member who is suffering from diabetes. Family is an important constituent in relation to a person suffering from diabetes in order to ascertain that he/she is provided effective care as well as support in the day-to-day activities and life. Moreover, there are various factors that are to be considered in order to have a better management of diabetes. In this regard, a healthy along with good relationship should be maintained for assistance and support in the adulthood. Family plays an important role towards the management of diet, time as well as medication. However, diabetes creates a profound emotional, psychological and cultural impact on families of the affected individual. It results in an increased level of anxiety to the family members with the concern of maintaining proper diet and medication of the diabetes patient. Consequently, it is the family which can ensure that the family member with diabetes is provided proper care as well as services with the intention of retaining a healthy life through properly managing diabetes In this regard, a study conducted regarding the impact of diabetes on family members of an individual suffering with diabetes has revealed certain startling facts. The results of the study conducted in the United Kingdom brought forward the factor that financial, physical along with emotional burden related to diabetes is faced by the entire family members. The family members have been observed to suffer from anxiety, stress related to the negative financial impact of the disease on the entire family along with a deep rooted of uncertainty regarding the social consequences of the disease (SB Communications Ltd, 2012). Family history of diabetes is also identified to be a major factor influencing the life and growth of a family. A family with a history of diabetes is identified to have a different perception as well as approaches towards healthcare providers (Zlot & et. al., 2009). Respectively, family with a history of diabetes is observed to possess different cultural factors which include values, preferences, perceptions behaviour as well as physical activities (Baptiste-Robert & et. al., 2007). Part C – Population Impact There are several factors that are accountable for the increase in diabetes amid indigenous people especially in Australia. In this regard, obesity is the most significant factor for diabetes in indigenous people. The indigenous people are seemed to be obsessed due to their diet and physical activity. The type 2 diabetes is identified to be the major reason for increase in health problem amid indigenous people in the population of Australia. The type 2 diabetes amid indigenous population is more than other general population in Australia. Additionally, the type 2 diabetes is identified to be accountable for the increase in different types of complications which will intensify in future. Diabetes amid indigenous population is also perceived to increase the rate of hospitalisation. In this respect, diabetes is recognised to be the leading cause of augmented rate of mortality amid indigenous population in Australia. It is also observed that rate of mortality due to nutritional, endocrine as well as metabolic disease is high amid indigenous males as compared to general population and non-indigenous females (Baker IDI, 2012). These are the various aspects on the basis of which diabetes have been affecting indigenous people in Australia. Part D – Implications for the Role of the Nurse It has been observed that Australia is a country with culturally diverse people. Additionally, the country has been one of the preferable locations for people to immigrate. The cultural diversity of the country has increased due to the rising number of immigrants. Furthermore, it is also recognised that the indigenous people are the ones who suffer mainly from diabetes. The rate of people having diabetes has increased which is one of the major concerns for the health departments in Australia. Respectively, the rate of mortality has augmented due to diabetes. In this regard, the proper medication, care along with services should be offered to the people in order to assist them in managing their diabetes. Correspondingly, nurses are required to play an effective role in order to provide support to these people for ensuring their better sustainable growth and development (Courtney & McCutcheon, 2010). With regard to religious or cultural diversity in the population of Australia, proper planning, differentiated healing practices along with strategies should be formulated by health service provider such as nurses with the intention of assisting these diverse cultural people with appropriate medical support and care. Nurses in the healthcare organisations of Australia should aim to upheld respect, belief, positive attitude, along with pertinent medical practices as well as values for culturally diverse groups while offering care and medical facilities based on the healthcare expectations of these indigenous people. The nurses should be culturally competent as well as should possess cultural awareness with the objective of offering proper care and medical services without discrimination. Moreover, nurses should not be ethnocentric along with stereotyped in their approach. Furthermore, nurses are also required to possess adequate sensitivity towards the varying needs of the patients and also communication competency with the aim of assisting individuals from different cultural background and language in a suitable manner. In this context, nurses with cultural competencies as well as awareness will be able to provide effective care services to the individual, family members and the community from diverse culture (Omeri & Raymond, 2009). Nurses Assisting Individuals Nurses should seek that indigenous people of Australia with high rate of diabetes who are admitted in healthcare facilities are offered adequate care as well as medical services. The diabetes patients should be offered care services in accordance with their clinical considerations. The diabetes patients should be provided appropriate medical aid on the basis of their requirements. The nurses should ensure that patients are bestowed with quality care services so that they can recover quickly. The nurses are entrusted with the responsibility of keeping a daily track of the condition of the patient suffering from diabetes. The progress report should be properly documented. The patients should also be offered with their medicines at appropriate time. The diet and glucose level of the patents should be examined on a continuous basis. The nurses should ensure that they are able to accomplish the objectives of the healthcare facilities determined for diabetes patients (Courtney & McCutcheon, 2010). Nurses Assisting Family Members It has been also observed that family members of diabetes patients are affected due to this disease as it changes their lifestyles and other factors. Nurses can play an effective role in assisting the family members who have a diabetes patient in terms of offering proper advice and guidance regarding care services. The nurses should assist the family with knowledge about obesity and different aspects in relation to diabetes. The nurses with the assistance of family members are able to offer adequate and quality medication services to diabetes patients for their better recovery. The nurses will be providing relevant information to the family members of the patients so that they can retain their healthy diet and restore their health to a stable condition. In this respect, the family members with adequate information would be able to uphold a healthy diet and medication, which would aid the indigenous patient to maintain a stable level of glucose in his/her blood. Consequently, the nurses organise meetings with family members twice in a week with the objective of teaching family members about the factors, which are essential for better stabilised health conditions of diabetes patients. The nurse should also be competent enough to assist the family members of an indigenous patient in revealing the factors which are accountable for acquiring diseases such as diabetes. The nurses should be culturally self-assessed as well as should possess efficient communication and listening skills with the intention of assisting indigenous people from diverse cultural background (Commonwealth of Australia, 2013). The nurses should adopt ‘Evidence-Based Practice’ (EBP) with the aim of offering accurate information in relation to care as well as facilities which are imperative to revive the unstable diabetes condition to a stabilised position in a quick manner (Courtney & McCutcheon, 2010). Nurses Playing Effective Role at the National Level Diabetes is identified as a major issue on a national level which has also raised the rate of mortality nationwide amid indigenous people. In this respect, various programs as well as health care services are organised in communities with the intention of providing proper medical aid to every individual of the nation as the indigenous people are observed to be out of reach of appropriate medical services and treatment facilities. Moreover, these programs will assist in mitigating the gap which exists amid national healthcare service providers and local healthcare providers. In this context, the nurses will be able to reach in every segment of the community along with offering adequate medical aid to diabetes patients. Furthermore, the national healthcare nurses should provide training services to local community nurses about the practices as well as medications, which are offered to diabetes patient in order to revive the conditions of diabetes patients. Additionally, the local nurses are offered with accurate information and knowledge about the current practices and treatment facilities offered to diabetes patients so that they could be recovered from their unstable diabetes conditions quickly. The registered nurses with adequate knowledge as well as competencies are able to offer appropriate medical assistance to diabetes affected indigenous patients in rural as well as remote areas. The local nurses with suitable education and training services from registered nurses will be able to provide knowledge regarding appropriate medicines, diets and other factors which are determined to be apt in order to provide better support to diabetes patients so that mortality rate due to diabetes can be mitigated (Australian Medicare Local Alliance, 2012). Conclusion It can be comprehended from the above discussion that Australia is a multi-cultural country which comprises people from diverse cultural groups due to immense number of immigrants from other countries. In the diverse society of Australia, the indigenous people are determined to be the major ones suffering from diabetes. The major reasons which are accountable for the rise in the number of diabetes patients amid indigenous group include diet and activities. The indigenous people are determined to suffer from certain health problems which include obesity as the major factor leading to diabetes. The mortality rate amid the indigenous people has increased to a greater extent as compared to general population. Thus, there is a crucial requirement for nursing interventions in order to alleviate difficulties faced by patients and family members of indigenous people suffering from diabetes. References Australian Medicare Local Alliance, 2012. Nurse Clinics in Australian General Practice. Assets. [Online] Available at: http://amlalliance.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/46188/20121003_rsc_FINAL-Nurse-Clinics-in-Australian-General-Practice.pdf [Accessed September 11, 2013]. Baker IDI, 2012. Diabetes: The Silent Pandemic and Its Impact on Australia. Documents. [Online] Available at: http://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/Documents/DA/Whats%20New/12.03.14%20Diabetes%20management%20booklet%20FINAL.pdf [Accessed September 11, 2013]. Baptiste-Robert, K. & et. al., 2007. Family History of Diabetes, Awareness of Risk Factors, and Health Behaviours among African Americans. American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 97, No. 5, pp. 907-912. Brown, A., 2013. The Impact of Diabetes in Indigenous People – Putting an End to Harm on Harm. Diabetes Voice, Vol. 58, Iss. 1, pp. 18-19. Courtney, M., & McCutcheon, H., 2010. Using Evidence to Guide Nursing Practice. Elsevier Australia. Commonwealth of Australia, 2013. Chapter 2: Reduce the Risk of Diabetes. National Service Improvement Framework for Diabetes. [Online] Available at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/252F134AC658C2BFCA2571410007C6E0/$File/diab2.pdf [Accessed September 11, 2013]. Diabetes Australia – Vic, 2008. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Program. Type 2 Diabetes. [Online] Available at: http://www.diabetesvic.org.au/type-2-diabetes/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander [Accessed September 11, 2013]. Omeri, A., & Raymond, L., 2009. Diversity in the Context of Multicultural Australia: Implications for Nursing Practice. Nursing Book Chapters, pp. 1-16. Sridhar, G. R. & Madhu, K., 2002. Psychosocial and Cultural Issues in Diabetes Mellitus. Current Science, Vol. 83, No. 12, pp. 1556-1564. SB Communications Ltd, 2012. Study Highlights Impact of Diabetes on Families. Home. [Online] Available at: http://www.diabetesonthenet.com/news/view/study-highlights-impact-of-diabetes-on-families [Accessed September 11, 2013]. TR7 Pty Ltd, No Date. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Fact Sheet. [Online] Available at: http://www.tr7.com.au/pdfs/indigenous/ATSI_Facts_Sheet.pdf [Accessed September 11, 2013]. Zlot, A. I., & et. al., 2009. Influence of Family History of Diabetes on Health Care Provider Practice and Patient Behaviour among Non-diabetic Oregonians. Preventing Chronic Disease, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 1-11. Read More