Diabetes Mellitus: Causes and Health Challenges

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Practice Problem: A Major Issue
Possible Causes
Detailed Analysis of the Problem
Significance of the Problem
Recommendations and Efforts
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Diabetes is a chronic condition affecting the overall experiences and life outcomes of many people today. This disease is chronic in nature and disorients the natural process of converting glucose into useful energy in the body. A proper analysis and understanding of diabetes could help more people to prevent themselves from developing the condition. In many countries, this terminal disease has become a primary concern due to its ability to disorient lives, cause premature deaths, and affect the sustainability of the economy. The health challenges associated with diabetes call for an effective program to guide patients and promote evidence-based strategies to reduce its social and economic burden.

Practice Problem: A Major Issue

Diabetes mellitus (DM) refers to a common disease associated with the human metabolism. This condition is known to trigger higher levels of sugar in the blood. In developed cases, the body’s insulin would be unable to process glucose and keep the levels in the blood low. This disease is capable of increasing blood sugar, a scenario that could damage other body organs and slow the healing of wounds. Different types of DM exist that professionals encourage patients to be aware of. Type 1 DM is autoimmune in nature, whereby the body system damages the cells responsible for producing insulin in the pancreases (Stefanovics et al., 2018). Type 2 DM would emerge when the body is incapable of using insulin to maintain blood sugar levels. Pre-DM is a condition associated with higher blood sugar quantities or rates.

Past scholars have identified diabetes as a critical health issue due to a number of attributes. First, it is directly associated with a number of other diseases affecting the American population, such as obesity and cancer. Second, the nature of this problem is a clear indication of other medical concerns in this country, such as poor health objectives and strategies and absence of resources (Stefanovics et al., 2018).Without proper mechanisms and incentives in place, this problem could get out hand and disorient the overall experiences of more people.

Possible Causes

The above sections have outlined different types of DM affecting many citizens in this country. Each of them is associated with unique causal factors and risks. For instance, Type 1 DM falls under the autoimmunity category due to the nature of its development (Fruh, 2017). This understanding reveals that its true source or cause remains a mystery to researchers. However, recent findings have indicated that human immune system was capable of destroying emerging beta cells, thereby affecting the overall productivity and availability of insulin in the body (Gruss et al., 2019). Genetics and some diseases could be involved in the development of this condition.

For Type 2 DM, lifestyles and people genetic constitutions could be directly linked to its etiology. According to Felman (2020) individuals who remain obese for a long time would increase their chances of developing this condition. Some strenuous activities capable of pressurizing the stomach could make the body resistant to activities of insulin. The notion of genetics could be supported by the idea that the condition has been observed in specific families (Lee & Yoon, 2018). The possible connection is that some people share genes that increase their possibilities of becoming obese.

Pre-diabetes is a common stage whereby a person has increasing blood sugar levels. In such patients, the insulin produced is capable of processing glucose and reducing chances of becoming diabetic. However, failure to implement proper solutions and effort would increase chances of developing Type 2 DM (FitzGerald & Hurst, 2017). The involvement of nutritionists and medical experts becomes necessary at this point to prevent chances of poor health outcomes. These concerns show conclusively that diabetes is a problem that calls for a multiagency approach.

Detailed Analysis of the Problem

The nature of this medical health challenge encourages stakeholders to examine it from different perspectives. In terms of who, it is evident that diabetes is a critical issue affecting the experiences of many citizens. For example, CDC reported that around 0.2 million young people aged below 20 years had DM (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). The frequency of the condition was also increasing steadily among members of this population. In another investigation, around 100 million people in the US adult population had at least one of the DM types (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). In terms of what, DM presents a major predicament that affects people of all ages. The government has been on the frontline to implement practical measures to meet the needs of the population. However, such measures and strategies have done very little to mitigate the health problem.

The reason why this challenge exists in the wider American society could be analyzed from different perspectives. Specifically, the current health systems are incapable of educating all people about lifestyle choices and the dangers of obesity as a risk factor (Fruh, 2017). The prolonged consumer society experienced in the country since the 1970s led to sedentary lifestyles and increasing uptake of foods rich in sugar and energy (Rushton et al., 2020).lack of health personal health management practices and exercises among members of the population could also be directly associated with the nature of this predicament.

In terms of where, the disease remains systemic and widely distributed across the country. Although African American and Latino racial groups are widely affected, DM is a common condition in all regions. This knowledge explains why the involvement of all stakeholders and professionals would be critical to deliver sustainable health outcomes. When it comes to when, it remains clear that DM has remained an issue for very many years (Gruss et al., 2019). More people continue to be diagnosed with either Type 1 or Type. These analyses, therefore, present a clear picture of this medical problem and why all stakeholders should take it more seriously.

Significance of the Problem

The selection of DM as the target for this project arises from the health challenges associated with it. Globally, around 420 million people are known to be suffering from the condition (NIH, 2022). It remains prevalent since it affects citizens in the developed and developing worlds. Within the past four decades, the global rate of the condition has been increasing steadily. Similarly, this problem remains a major concern in different parts across the United States. For instance, a report by the Al-Mansour (2019) revealed that around 34 million citizens had DM. This figure represents around 10.5 percent of the total population (Al-Mansour, 2019). The burning issue is that experts believe that around 9 million Americans are unaware of whether they have DM or not. These realities explain why new measures would be needed to analyze and address this medical condition.

In most of states in the country have present regulatory expectations that are intended to deal with diabetes. For instance, the established guidelines require that patients with Type 2 DM receive treatment that can deliver targets of 7-8 percent A1C (NIH, 2022). According to Lin et al. (2018), the ideal HbA1c level should be around 48mmol/mol (6.5%). A lower target or outcome would also be preferable for this condition. These requirements have been influential in guiding medical professionals to collaborate with their patients and focus on the best health outcomes.

The impact of diabetes on the individual cannot be underestimated. In most cases, affected people become unproductive and have to incur additional expenses in the search of drugs and insulin. Families with diabetic individuals will have to grapple with an increasing financial burden (Rege, 2017). When a member dies of DM, the family might lose a breadwinner and be unable to achieve its economic and social goals. Similarly, the burden on the wider healthcare system remains a critical issue. According to Lin et al. (2018) the economic cost directly linked to all forms of diabetes stand at around 330 billion US dollars. This amount has been increasing steadily since the number of people with the condition is on the rise. Such a burden compels the government to divert financial resources and overlook other areas of the healthcare sector. In another study, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated that 1 in every 4 US dollars utilized in the healthcare went directly to people with this condition (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). These figures explain why this disease presents a major problem to the country’s economy.

The disease continues to trigger numerous cultural concerns whereby African Americans and Latinos appear to beheavily burdened. It also presented the cultural values and goals of the people on the spotlight. Healthcare policy agenda has shifted to focus on the nature of this condition and how it affects more citizens. The increasing cases of diabetes in the U.S. affects the quality of the other services available to patients (McGill et al., 2017). The legal and ethical implications revolve around the questions of euthanasia for people with chronicconditions. The government is considering legal measures that can encourage states and local agencies to put more emphasis on the control and preventative measures for diabetes.

Based on the above issues and concerns, it would be agreeable that diabetes is a macro systems health issue. The American government has acknowledged that the burden associatedwith it remains extremely high (Krauskopf, 2017). Communities across the globe continue to contend with the predicaments associated with this health challenge. This acceptance can guide all key stakeholders to collaborate and present evidence-based mechanisms to help most of the affected citizens.

Recommendations and Efforts

This capstone project seeks to sensitize more practitioners, government agencies, and members of the general public about the true nature of diabetes. The health problems associated with it could guide professionals to identify it as an epidemic capable of disorienting the overall experiences and outcomes more citizens. The consideration of desirable practices will help people to become more involved and be ready to tackle this health concern (Kabede & Pischke, 2019). The use of mobile-based apps could also help more people deal with the condition (Ahn & Stahl, 2019). The implementation of a multifaceted strategy will allow professionals to guide citizens and social workers to implement the best practices.

Within the clinical settings, the focus will be on laboratory activities that can guide more patients to manage diabetes. These lab works will allow all professionals and clinicians to control blood sugar levels using A1C tests (NIH, 2022). Health experts will advise their patients and provide timely counseling that can result in lifestyle adjustments (Marcelin et al., 2019). Such A1C tests would be appropriate to identify individuals who have pre-diabetes and Type 2 DM. the emerging information will help to formulate personalized treatment procedures and regimes (Benoit et al., 2019). The move to educate more people about A1C tests will make it possible for them to deal with the challenge of diabetes.

The capstone goes further to teach and provide timely education about the risk factors associated with this condition. Specifically, beneficiaries will appreciate the importance of exercises and suitable physical activities (Okunogbe et al., 2021). Such initiatives will make it easier for people to address overweight and obesity. The use of the body mass index (BMI) will allow or guide the targeted individuals to record the intended outcomes (Crawley et al., 2021). The designed education also seeks to promote diet modification. This strategy is evidence-based ad capable of guiding citizens to minimize their intake of sugary foods. The issues of A1C tests and insulin injections would also be considered (Ward et al., 2019). These practices are essential and capable of promoting the best initiatives to reverse the challenges of DM in this country.

Conclusion

Following the successful completion of this project, the emerging insights would become powerful guiding principles for dealing with diabetes. The initiatives need to be reproduced in all hospital and community settings since diabetes is a macro systems problem. Selected beneficiaries will find meaningful in diet management, engagement in exercises, and insulin use. Such measures will play a significant role towards guiding the government to provide additional resources. The ultimate aim is to tackle the economic, social, health, and financial burden of DM while allowing more people to lead high-quality lives.

References

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Cost-effectiveness of diabetes interventions. Web.

Crawley, J., Biener, A., Meyerhoefer, C., Ding, Y., Zvenyach, T., Smolarz, B. G., & Ramasamy, A. (2021). Job absenteeism costs of obesity in the United States: National and state-level estimates. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 63(7), 565-573. Web.

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FitzGerald, C., & Hurst, S. (2017). Implicit bias in healthcare professionals: A systematic review. BMC Medical Ethics, 18(19), 1-18.

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Gruss, S. M., Nhim, K., Gregg, E., Bell, M., Luman, E., & Albright, A. (2019). Public health approaches to type 2 diabetes prevention: The US national diabetes prevention program and beyond.Current Diabetes Reports, 19(9). Web.

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Krauskopf, P. B. (2017). Review of American Diabetes Association diabetes care standards and mySugr mobile apps. The Journal of Nurse Practitioners, 13(3), 159-160. Web.

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McGill, M., Blonde, L., Chan, J. C. N., Khunti, K., Lavalle, F. J., & Bailey, C. J. (2017). The interdisciplinary team in type 2 diabetes management: Challenges and best practice solutions from real-world scenarios. Journal of Clinical and Translational Endocrinology, 7, 21-27. Web.

NIH. (2022). The A1C test & diabetes. Web.

Okunogbe, A., Nugent, R., Spencer, G., Ralston, J., & Wilding, J. (2021). Economic impacts of overweight and obesity: Current and future estimates for eight countries. BMJ Global Health, 6(10), 1-15.

Rege, A. (2017). CDC: Top 10 cities with highest percentage of adults with diabetes. Becker’s Hospital Review. Web.

Rushton, C., D’Aoust, R., & Han, H. R. (2020). Not missing the opportunity: Strategies to promote cultural humility among future nursing faculty.Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(1), 28–33. Web.

Stefanovics, E. A., Potenza, M. N., Pietrzak, R. H. (2018). The physical and mental health burden of obesity in U.S. veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in veterans study. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 103, 112-119.

Ward, Z. J., Bleich, S. N., Cradock, A. L., Barrett, J. L., Giles, C. M., Flax, C., Long, M. W., & Gortmaker, S. L. (2019). Projected U.S. state-level prevalence of adult obesity and severe obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine, 381(25), 2440-2450.

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