Diabetes among Native Americans
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Diabetes is a significant health issue affecting many people across the globe. Even though many governmental and non-governmental organizations have implemented quality programs to combat the issue, diabetes is still a problem. The three main types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes mostly affects children and adolescents, but it can still affect people from other age groups. The condition develops when the body produces little or no insulin. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body fails to utilize insulin properly, and it mostly affects adults. This is the most type of diabetes, as it accounts for 90 percent of all diabetes cases. Gestational diabetes (GDM) affects women during pregnancy or after childbirth. The paper focusses on the issue of diabetes and how it affects native Americans.
Native Americans consist of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Research by the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) shows that the Native Americans are at a higher risk of developing diabetes than other races in the United States. According to the CDC, the prevalence of diabetes among adults in this population is 60 percent. Moreover, Native Americans who suffer from this disease are at risk of developing long-term complications. One of the most common complications of diabetes is kidney failure. Diabetes damages blood vessels leading to kidney failure. Regular kidney testing is recommended for diabetes patients to check for signs of kidney failure.
Family-centered health promotion is an essential health technique that can be used to address the target population’s issue. A partnership-in-care should be used to resolve the issue. It allows the collaboration of medical health professionals with the patient, family, and friends. It is important to note that diabetes is a long-term disease that requires family and friends to help patients. Through working with friends and family, the healthcare teams will gather essential information that can be used to improve the quality of diabetes care. Health education in partnership-in-care leads to enhance the quality of health and better prevention of complications associated with diabetes since the medical teams get assistance form family members. Moreover, this approach allows health professionals to identify challenges facing diabetes patients at the family level. For instance, some Native Americans may not be able to adopt certain health choices due to financial difficulties.
Many health organizations have been formed to deal with the issue. One of the organizations is the American Diabetes Association (ADA). ADA has been in the frontline in the fight against diabetes through health education programs geared at educating the public about diabetes and how to manage the condition. Also, the organization provides funding to researchers seeking to identify better ways of dealing with the disease.
A vital education resource for the proposed education plan is the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP). The program provides educational resources to community-based organizations, minority groups, and vulnerable populations. Local resources for the proposed health education plan are community support groups. These groups facilitate the dissemination of health education to patients and other affected parties. Diabetes care providers should liaise with community-based health support groups to effectively launch the health education plan. The fact that these groups have close relationships with diabetes patients implies that health providers will benefit from their support.
Health professionals from various disciplines will implement health promotion. They include doctors, therapists, psychologists, social workers, and nurses. Each of these professionals will play an essential role in ensuring the health education plan is executed successfully.
References
CDC. (2020). Native Americans with Diabetes. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/aian-diabetes/index.html