Diabetes within American Indian/Alaska Native Populations - Essay Example

Health problem: Diabetes Target population: Native Americans Introduction: Prevalence of diabetes is as high as 50% amongst the Native Americans specially in American Indians and Alaskan Natives. Many adults get the disease at a younger age and that reduces the quality of their life. However, findings of the vast number of researches done on American Natives clearly showed the greater possibility of preventing the disease among the American Natives by making behavioral changes (National Institute of Health, 5-8).

Following objectives were formulated considering the findings and conclusions of those researches and recommendations of the health institutes.Objectives1. As a result of screening and educating the vulnerable persons and people with pre diabetes, 50% of the Native Americans will adapt to a healthy lifestyle changes, thereby reducing the new incidents of diabetes according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (Affective)2. As a result of facilitating and encouraging the individuals with family history of diabetes and obese individuals for regular, moderate physical activity, Native Americans will be able to reduce new incidents of diabetes by 50% according to the American Diabetes Association (Klein et al, 259).

(Psychomotor)3. As a result of early detection and professional treatments, American Indians can prevent 70% of the incidents of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic related renal failure according to the National Health Institute. (Cognitive)4. As a result of increasing the availability and the accessibility of professional health care services, Native Americans will be able to prevent complications of diabetes by 50 percent according to the findings of the National Health Institute. (Cognitive)5.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) American Indians will be able to prevent more than 50% of the new incidents of diabetes as a result of reducing body weight and maintaining healthy weight throughout the life. (Psychomotor)6. According to the American Diabetes Association due to introduction and implementation of national policies related to dietary and lifestyle changes, Native Americans can effectively reduce new incidents of diabetes by 30% (Klein et al, 260).

(Cognitive)7. Considering the findings of the vast number of researches conducted on American Indians for 30 years, American Natives will be able to reduce new incidents by 25% as a result of consumption of low fat and low caloric diet (Yancy et al, 769). (Psychomotor)8. As a result of the awareness programs on prevention of diabetes, more than 50% of the participants will make lifestyle changes to prevent the disease as predicted by the health care professionals. (Affective)9. As a result of increasing the availability and accessibility of unrefined healthy foods in the market more than 40% of the American Indians will be able to adapt to a healthy diet according to the prediction of the scientists (NIDDK).

(Affective)Klein, Sheard, Pi-Sunyer, Daly, Wylie-Rosett, Kulkarni, and Clark. “ Weight management through lifestyle modification for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes: rationale and strategies.” Am J Clin Nutr 2004: 257– 63NIDDK. The Pima Indian: Pathfinders for health. National Institute of Health. 29 September 2008 National Institute of Health. H. I can lower my risk for type 2 diabetes. USA: NIH, 2005: 5-12.Yancy , Olsen, Guyton J, Bakst, Westman. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial.

Ann Intern Med 2004;140:769–77.