A Clinical-Based Study of Young Adults Who Have Diabetes

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Attitudes and beliefs among patients suffering from type 2 diabetes
Practice in relation to exercise
Dietary habits
An attitude of the patient with diabetes toward the disease
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Type two diabetes’ prevalence is known to increase with age and in young people, it is known to account for about 3% of all the other types, and in the U.S.A as high as 45% of the cases of patients suffering from diabetes due to type 2 which amount to about 16 million individuals. Reports indicate ever-increasing cases of type 2 diabetes between the ages of 18-40 years especially in ethnic groups with higher risks of type 2 diabetes. High risks are determined by family history, presence of metabolic syndrome like abdominal obesity but research indicates that high prevalence and symptoms of type 2 diabetes are greatly reduced by a well-controlled diet and enough exercise among the people exposed to these risks.( Kanerva,2004pp43-45)

Attitudes and beliefs among patients suffering from type 2 diabetes

Research data indicates most victims believe that diabetes mellitus also known as type 2 diabetes is greatly caused by the presence of the disease in the family history, high intake of food rich in sugar and fat while at the same time engaging in a very little exercise. Other factors that precipitate the condition are experiences of strong emotions like fright, acute anger, prolonged sadness as well as depression.

Most patients who participle in the oral interview express their belief in the importance of strictly following the recommendations designed by the doctors regarding diets and regular exercise, medication administered orally, herbal therapies such as aloe Vera and prickly pear cactus. Such information is important in designing interventions aimed at reducing the heavy burden of type 2 diabetes worlds wide. Most respondents in the study of perceived barriers concerning self-management of type 2 diabetes express feeling that the disease is a serious condition and its long-term complications can greatly be reduced if they controlled it through self-management activities.

In the study, personal models, as well as barriers, make a significant prediction regarding levels of self-management of diet, glucose testing, and exercise after the influence of demographic as well as medical history is controlled. The majority of the respondents amounting to 24% agree that there is a lot of benefit in taking medication and this belief is strongly associated with willingness to adhere to regular medication.

About 13% of the respondents have a negative belief and argue that regular intake of the medication can cause side effects which would include weight gain and that any change to their daily routine would only increase their difficulty to regularly take their diabetes medicines. These beliefs are important in informing intervention development, implementation of research findings as well as evaluation in studies that are randomized and controlled. (Philip, 2003pp33-39)

Practice in relation to exercise

controlled physical activity, appropriate endurance as well as resistance training are key therapeutic modalities for patients with type 2 diabetes but unfortunately, the majority of the patient underutilize it and this contributes to fast deterioration of tolerance to favorable changes in levels of glucose and sensitivity of insulin. Even when the patient has had a physical activity the tolerance can still deteriorate after 72 hours from the last session.

Most victims do not manage in achieving the recommended 1000 Kcal wk and have a lower level of fitness. They lack the information that exercise intensity requires to be maintained at a comfortable level at the beginning and then progressed cautiously until the patient improves intolerance. Lack of resistance training by the patients due to lack of understanding reduces their potential in improving muscle strength and reduces their body flexibility and therefore increases risks for cardiovascular diseases as well as a decline in glucose tolerance.

Most obese patients with type 2 diabetes exhibit a decline in blood glucose shortly after mild-to-moderate physical activity but the magnitude of the decline depends on the duration and intensity of the exercise which is attributed to a gradual increase in glucose utilization in the muscles during the exercise. Most patients who respond well to prescribe programs believe in benefits associated with physiological as well as psychological aspects of regular exercise because of the effect it has in reducing stress, depression.

The belief is that regular exercise heightens one’s self-esteem and plays a role in reducing emotional perturbation that is attributed to stressful events in their daily life but unfortunately these beliefs rarely receive much attention from the majority although they have a lot of benefits as far as self-management of the disease is concerned. Research indicates that management of type2 diabetes is stressful especially between the ages of 18-40 years one of the reasons being a reduction of activity as the individual gradually gets out of the teenage years when most individuals are known to be naturally very active.( Bolden,2006pp41-48)

Dietary habits

Among those who suffer from this condition of type 2, diabetes the majority have dietary habits that contribute to the development of a fatty liver which consequently increases the early development of diabetes mellitus. Most of them are obsessed and register a significantly high intake of diets with high content of fat and sugar compared with those without fatty liver especially conventionally in between meals as well as food rich in lipids and consumption of alcohol especially among non-aged.

Most of the participants usually have their diabetes well controlled when they start the program on dietary habits because they are able to change food habits and consequently register improvement in metabolic control. However, it is not everyone who engages in the dietary study who manages to change his food habits and some even literally disagree with the advice. Those participants who agree to take a fat-modified and fiber-enriched diet register a significant loss in body weight even after one week. (Dupre, 2001pp26-32)

An attitude of the patient with diabetes toward the disease

Research studies indicate a direct relationship between the condition of type 2 diabetes and the emotional health of the victims because when an individual with the condition is diagnosed he tends to feel hopeless and also upset and this is worsened when the victim starts experiencing difficulty in the management of the condition which eventually leads to the feeling of depression and anxiety. The patients who participate in the interview believe that when they are stressed out or directly sad this affects their blood sugar.

Among the factors cited by the most participant as the major contributors of the effect of emotions and diabetes are family stressors as well as those from society in general and therefore it is important for the patient with diabetes to be diagnosed of their emotional health to help in screening for stress and depression because this helps in eliciting preferences about their treatment when indicated. (Wayne, 2003PP19-26)

Conclusion

a clinically based study of young adults who have diabetes register varying beliefs and attitudes towards controlled management and this affects their perception towards the patterns and intensity of exercise and recommended diet especially if they are not informed of the benefits associated with these control measures. The diagnosis of the condition also is not met with a positive attitude by a majority of the victims and this demands a counseling session for the patients so that they can adhere to the doctors’ program. (Parker, 2004PP23-28)

References

Parker M. (2004): reflections on life with diabetes: virtualbookworm. pp. 23-28.

Dominic A. (2000): a memoir of growing up with diabetes: Simon and schuster pp. 14-19.

Kanerva J. (2004): Fathers’ journey into the world of diabetes: Trafford publishing pp. 43-45.

Philip M. (2003): Adults’ diabetes: icon health publications pp. 33-39.

Bolden T. (2006): my journey to better health: atria books pp. 41-48.

Dupre J. (2001): early prevention of diabetes mellitus: Bcdecker pp. 26-32.

Wayne D. (2003): diabetes mellitus: icon group international pp. 19-26.

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