Impact of Diabetes on Individuals and Indigenous Australians Families - Literature review Example

VЕRSЕАS BОRN РЕОРLЕ АND MЕNTАL HЕАLTH ISSUЕS name course tutor date Introduction Diabetes type 2 occurs when the pancreases fails to produce enough insulin in the body which regulates the blood sugar level in the body. The 2005 research database on Diabetes indicated that 275 Australian contact diabetes every day. The report further suggests that by 2031, 3.3 million Australians will be suffering from diabetes. By the time the data was being released it was estimated that 1.7 million Australians were suffering from type 2 Diabetes (Organization, 2007). Diabetes is also considered a costly disease in Australia as it is estimated to cost $ 10.3 billion every year. This study is about the indigenous Australians. Impact of Diabetes on individuals Diabetes provides major challenges to individuals living with the disease. This is because of the management practices related to the disease. Individuals suffering from diabetes feel uncomfortable with certain meals. Most people suffering from type 2 diabetes may not be aware of the disease until at later stages when complications begin to arise. The daily management of the disease leads to stress and depression especially to many adolescents who are affected. These people therefore need support from their families and friends in order to manage the disease. Individuals suffering from this disease are also required to be under constant blood level check. They are also required to undergo rigorous physical activities in order to maintain and reduce the level of infection of the disease. It is important that the family be involved upon diagnosis of this disease in an individual. The right of adolescentsshould be respected at this age and appropriate privacy given according to ethical health standards in Australia. Helping the individual modify his/her, life upon diagnosing of the disease is the first step that should be taken in order to cure and treat this disease. The adolescent requires routine psychosocial assessment to help in management and treatment of the disease. Social concerns could limit adherence due to peer influence, which is common and normal amongst adolescents. Adolescents face constant self-criticism and evaluation while in presence of other people. Social concerns are constantly related to individuals suffering from type 1 diabetes. Fear of hypoglycemia contributes to lots of cases in individuals suffering from diabetes type 1. Many adolescents are involved in fear of treating this disease while others engage in overuse of drugs while undergoing treatment (Cameron, 2010). Impact of Diabetes on Indigenous Australians Families Indigenous Australian is more susceptible to Diabetes type 2 than Australian born people are. It is believed that the introduction of western culture into this community is enhancing their susceptibility to the disease. According to King &Rewers 1993, ethnic minorities who live in industrialized countries are facing high risks of contracting diabetes. Another interesting report in Australia is that the diabetes level is reportedly higher in people born overseas and not Australia as well as people who speak other languages apart from English at home(King H & Rewers, 1993). According to Wellborn, 1995 Australians who speak English at home and other language have high self-reported diabetes. Families of indigenous Australians are therefore at higher risk of suffering from the disease due to the changing living conditions in the foreign country. According to most researchers, the variation in contacting diabetes is related to many social, cultural, and genetic issues(Welborn T, 1995). Other scientist believes that genetics greatly contributes to this difference. The social life introduced to this new population in Australia is also significantly contributing to the increased levels of diabetes. Diabetes has also environmental and behavioral risk factors that are associated to it. Indigenous Australians come from different backgrounds and culture. The difference in culture leads to difference in physical activities, which is a contributing factor to diabetes. In 2001, 60.6 % of indigenous Australians were overweight or obese compared to Australian born people. In a similar study in 2012, people who spoke English at home and other language were leading a more inactive and sedentary life compared to people who spoke English at home. This has an impact in the family due to reduced physical activity. The ratio was 64.2% and 53.6% respectively. Abate &Chandalia 2003 gives a difference in physiological causes of diabetes in different ethnic groups. In their study, they found out that Indians and Hispanics were more resistant to insulin meaning insulin is not utilized in the body leading to high sugar level in the blood. In their study, they also concluded that African-Americans source of diabetes was due to insufficient production of insulin(Abate N& Chandalia M, 2003). Population Impact Chronic disease like diabetes is the biggest killer of Indigenous Australians. Indigenous Australians represent almost half of the population. These people are 10-14 times likelier to die from diabetes compared to people born in Australia. The mean average age is 21 years meaning that most of the population falls in the adolescent age and below 20 years old. Most of this people live in the Queensland making 32% of the population. The infant mortality rate of indigenous Australians with diabetes type 2 is higher compared to the rest of the Australian born individuals. Sources indicate that those adolescents living in remote areas and having premature onset of age suffers the most. Children and adolescent suffering from this disease mostly have family history of this disease. This means that their offspring’s are likely to suffer from the disease. Failure of these people to change their lifestyles and way of living is likely to increase the spread of this disease. Role of the Nurse Type 2 diabetes Mellitus is the most common type of diabetes and reports indicate that it has been on the rise. In order to reduce the cost of treatment and overall prevention of this type of disease the government needs to address cases of health especially amongst adolescents and indigenous Australians suffering from the disease. Although diabetes is a serious health issue in Australia, preventing and treatment is possible. Sixty percent of the type 2 diabetes mellitus can be treated and avoided before it reaches a chronic stage. It is also important to note that diabetes is also the sixth disease killer and cause of death in Australia. Practitioners and researchers have been in constant review on the way forward on managing this disease. Many nutritionists believe that if proper awareness concerning the disease is provided to the indigenous Australians, the disease can be controlled fully (Welfare, 2010). Nurses in Australian healthcare have the mandate of controlling this disease raging from individual to family responsibility. Physical health and fitness provides a chance in reducing the spread of the disease. Nurses should provide necessary plans for physical activities that can play a role in reducing the prevalence of this disease.Plans have been implemented and evaluated in order to reduce the risk and spread of the disease.Indigenous Australians living in rural and remote areas have high prevalence to diabetes mellitus type 2. Those adolescents living in remote areas and having premature onset of age suffers the most. Children and adolescent suffering from this disease mostly have family history of this disease. The signs and symptoms are diagnosed at the onset of adolescent and are mostly associated with cases of obesity and overweight cases. Physical inactivity and gene inheritance are some of the causes of this type of disease. Socioeconomic status, healthy play, and role in life amongst the adolescent mostly implicates as a contributing factor to development of the disease. Many adolescents living in rural and remote areas faces the risk of the disease due to inaccessible health facilities and this leads to increasing cases of the disease (Sons, 2007). Early treatment and delay of the onset of the disease is important in controlling the spread of the disease. According to a research done on 76 adolescent, boys suffered anxiety due to worse diet and insulin non-adherence (Ashley Battista, 2009). Social anxiety directly correlates with poor life in both the female and male adolescent children. Fear of hypoglycemia mediates the direct relationship between social anxiety and insulin non-adherence in adolescent boys. The findings suggest that social anxiety, which is common amongst many adolescent, interferes with adherence and quality of life amongst adolescents suffering from type 1 diabetes. Screening and treatment of anxiety provides better adherence and quality life. Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type 2 is done through checking blood sugar level. Confirmation of the disease takes place using a fasting venous blood glucose test in combination with other baseline tests. Cases of increased thirst, polyuria, and polydipsia are suggestive cases of the presence of diabetes mellitus type 2. Oral glucose tolerance tests should not be used in adolescent especially those found in remote parts of Australia. Use of point of eye glycated hemoglobin is not recommended for testing diabetes mellitus type 2 in adolescent and children due to poor screening of dysglyceamia (Peter Azzopardi, 2012). Blood and ketones level should be checked for all children and adolescent suspected to be diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 2. Australia recommends that any adolescent having symptoms of obesity, overweight, or having history of diabetes from the family, having high signs of insulin resistance, have been exposed to diabetes sin utero should be screened for this disease. Considering that adolescent are still children, they should be advised and given time to understand the consequences of the disease and the need to prevent ad cure it. Appropriate family ad health support is required to enable these children undergo proper treatment and care. Recommendations for nursing practices Due to current instances of increased diabetes and obesity in the world, most doctors and therapists insist in fitness mainly resulting from regular physical exercises. The need to be fit requires regular’s exercises, which must be increasing daily. Once the goal has been set to achieve a certain goal over fitness the need to assess the progress is necessary. This is the point where fitness assessment is required(Gwen Robbines). There are various types of fitness assessment tests depending on the type of exercise and the part of the body undergoing physical development. There is need for provision of constant support or adolescent suffering from this disease. Limited access to food and health care leads to increased prevalence of this disease especially to children living in remote areas. Observing confidentiality and ethical issue as a factor needs to thorough observation for continuous reduction of this disease. Initial management and diagnosis of this disease is important in controlling and reducing its prevalence. Regular screening and continuous encouragement and support for adolescents suffering from this disease needs to be available in order to reduce the prevalence of this disease. Regular glucose monitoring is important for adolescents suffering from this disease. In case of any barriers to self-management, the clinical doctor and physicians should be informed. Referrals are important and recommended while diagnosing or handling cases of diabetes mellitus type two (Autralian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2011). All treatments should be aimed and prevention, cure, and any positive or significant improvement should be used to encourage the adolescent for continuous cooperation in the treatment process. American Institute of and Health Welfare has been more concerned about the diet students in secondary schools eat. Their study reports that about 300 calories are produced in day since at least 50% of students take a snack every day while in school. The research also indicated that students in California state produced only 150 calories a day due to the stricter rules imposed by the school management concerning their diet(American Institute and Health Welfare, 2010). It is therefore recommended that the nurses play a major role in ensuring that school diets are changed to reduce calorie level. In a way to control, the unhealthy ways of eating the nurses should provide nutritional classes to students as a means to support good health habits at home and in school. Nurses should offertrainings, which mostly should be targeting students suffering from obesity, diabetes, and health related diseases. Inclusion of nutritionists in sports should help by providing advice to sports students on how to engage in a better diet and remain physically fit. References Abate N& Chandalia M. (2003). The Impact of ethnicity on type 2 diabetes. Journal of Diabetes and its complications, 17 39-58. American Institute and Health Welfare. (2010). Diabetes Indicators In America. Diabetes Indicators In America, 6 of 24. Ashley Battista, L. G. (2009). Reduced Diabetes Self care caused by fear and fear of hypoglycemia. Type 1 Diabetes among Adolescents, 465-471. Austarlian Institute and Health Welfare. (2010). Diabetes Indicators In Autsralia. Diabetes Indicators In Autsralia, 6 of 24. Autralian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2011). Diabetes and poor mental health and well being an explanatory analysis. Diabetes and poor mental health and well being, 12-14. Cameron, G. A. (2010). Caring for Diabetes in Children and Adolescent. Caring for Diabetes in Children and Adolescent, 1 of 1. Gwen Robbines, D. P. (2008). A Wellness Way of Life with Exercise Band . New York: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages. King H & Rewers. (1993). Global Estimates fo Prvevelance of diabetes mellitus and impared glucose tolerance in adults. Diabetes care, 16(1) 157-177. Organization, W. H. (2007). Diabetes in Autsralia. International Diabetes Federation, 1 of 7. Peter Azzopardi, A. D.-B. (2012). Type 2 Diabeted Mellitus in Indegenous Austalian Adolescent. Type 2 Diabeted Mellitus in Indegenous Austalian Adolescent, 32-36. Sons, J. W. (2007). Culturally appropriate health education for type 2 diabetes mellitus in ethnic minority groups. Type 2 daibetes mellitus in ethnic minority groups, 16. Welborn T, e. a. (1995). National Helath Survey: Prevelance of self reported diabetes in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia, 163: 129-132. Welfare, A. I. (2010). Diabetes Indicators In Autsralia. Diabetes Indicators In Autsralia, 6 of 24. Read More