Type 2 Diabetes Among the Adolescents - Essay Example

"Type 2 Diabetes Among the Adolescents" is a decent example of a paper on diabetes mellitus.
The need for promoting quality health among the youth of Navajo and precisely among the adolescent young boys and girls is a move that cannot be delayed any longer. This is because available statistics keep painting a bleak picture of how bad the situation of type 2 diabetes among adolescents is getting (Community health profiles, 2006). Already, there has been a proposal to ensure that an intervention that targets the adolescents directly be implemented. Much of the data collection exercise that was proposed was to be based on a qualitative method where several secondary data were targeted to be used. The rationale behind this choice was to ensure that as much literature from around the world on type 2 diabetes was researched so that empirical data collection could be achieved. Notwithstanding the proposed research methods and approaches, there has been the need for some major changes to be effected (Kodua, 2001).

Suggested changes and rationales for changes

The first form of change is in the proposed intervention and data collection procedure. Indeed, as the study is expected to take place among an identified group of persons who are the adolescent population of Navajo, it is important that the intervention and data collection exercise is able to address the direct health needs of these people (Fabre, 2005). It is also important to involve the people directly. To this end, it is suggested that a primary data collection exercise that would involve the affected people in solving the problem is implemented. To this end, action research is suggested. The rationale behind the selection of action research is that with action research, a problem is identified within a localized setting and appropriate intervention is given to the problem while involving the affected people. The second change has to do with the suggested intervention. It is suggested that a school-based campaign be used instead of a community-based campaign.

The rationale behind this intervention is in the fact that most adolescents spend much of their mealtimes at school; especially with breakfast and lunch (Buerhaus and Needleman, 2000). To this end, if the intervention is made a school-based intervention; it would be addressing the problem from its very source. What is more, it is going to draw more stakeholders within the intervention. These stakeholders shall include teachers and parents who will be obliged to play various roles in ensuring that the welfare of their young ones is secured. Even more, a school-based approach would come with an added advantage whereby curriculum planners are going to be engaged to consider making adolescent nutrition a central part of the school curriculum. This way, diabetes 2 prevention and for that matter the prevention of other nutrition-related diseases is going to be achieved (Clark, 2006).

Conclusion

It will be concluded that the time for change is now. This time around, the change should focus on affected persons so that their needs can best be protected and addressed. Distancing the affected person from the solution may take away the need for the affected person to see him or herself as a stakeholder in the solution rendering process and this may affect the success of the entire process (Bray, 2008).