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Essay On Diabetes

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Schizophrenia is known to be linked with a reduced life expectancy of up to 30 years. This remains largely due to physical health disorders such as heart attack or stroke, for which type 2 diabetes is a major risk factor. People with chronic schizophrenia remain three times more probable than the general population to develop diabetes, something which has previously been credited to poor diet and exercise habits in this group, as well as the use of antipsychotic medication. Published in JAMA Psychiatry, this new study examined whether diabetes risk is already present in people at the onset of schizophrenia, before antipsychotics have been prescribed and before a prolonged period of illness that may be associated with poor lifestyle habits …show more content…

The average age of death is 61 years for people with schizophrenia versus 76 years for the general population. Second, patients with schizophrenia have greater prevalence rates (as high as 75%) of smoking. Third, non-adherence to treatment is common and estimated to be ∼ 50%. Finally, this group frequently suffers from impaired insight, poor access to medical care, lower levels of psychosocial support, and amplified levels of stress, all of which can deteriorate medical outcomes ( Llorenta, & Urrutica, 2006 ). Their findings tell us that people with early schizophrenia have now started down the road to developing diabetes, even if they haven't been diagnosed with diabetes yet. These discoveries are a wake-up call that are a necessity to rethink the link between diabetes and schizophrenia and start prevention right from the start of schizophrenia. It is a case of thinking mind and body right from the start (King's College London, 2017). Problem Scope Schizophrenia is ranked among the top 25 leading causes of disability worldwide in 2013. Despite its low lifetime prevalence (median 4.0 per 1,000 persons) and point prevalence range from 2.6 to 6.7 per 1,000, health, social, and economic burden related to schizophrenia has been tremendous, not only for patients but also for families, other caregivers, and the wider society. The World Health Organization estimated

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