Minority Health Disparities: Type II Diabetes in African Americans
Shelby Peterson
HLTH 236 – 501
Jeff Guidry
Texas A&M University
April 14, 2015
Executive Summary Type II Diabetes in African Americans is a major health disparity that is growing every day and needs to be understood more. According to the American Diabetes Association, African Americans are 1.7 times more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites (American Diabetes Association). Why is that? Scientist have been extensively trying to answer this question with various studies and experiments. Though it is not yet fully understood, small achievements have been made and answers are constantly being searched for. Testing and early diagnosis, primary prevention, access to care for everyone and improving that quality of care will make a difference in the number of casualties and people being affected in the African American community.
Description
Type II diabetes is a mixture of both genetic and environmental factors. It is a metabolic disorder that affects the way the body processes blood sugar due to the fact that the body cannot produce enough insulin. The victim often feels fatigued and thirsty that leads to frequent urination. Obesity is believed to be the primary cause of Type II diabetes to those who are genetically predisposed. Based on the American Diabetes Association, non-Hispanic blacks are second in being diagnosed with diabetes with 13.2%. Type II diabetes can come with many effects
The incidences of diabetes are growing annually, and predicted to increase within the coming decades. The number of cases yearly is not only increasing, but the age of onset for diabetes has decreased. This means more individuals are developing diabetes at an earlier age. Diabetes not only affects individuals and communities but countries as well. The prevalence of diabetes has gathered billions of dollars in healthcare costs. [1]Type 2 diabetes also leads to other serious medical conditions such as heart disease, renal failure, blindness, and tissue damage in extremities that will eventually lead to amputation. These illnesses, as a result, result in further costs in the form of disability and the loss of a portion of our workforce. However, incidences of type 2 diabetes are in higher occurrence amongst Hispanic groups. According to the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Mexican Americans have an unusually high prevalence of diabetes compared to that of the general population [2]. Hispanic females have the highest lifetime risk of becoming diabetic – 52% [3], compared to that of the average risk of
Type 2 is characterized by the body’s inability to use insulin effectively because of a combination of resistance to insulin as well as an overall decrease production in insulin. There is a genetic predisposition to Type 2 diabetes, but there are several other factors that also put an individual at
Diabetes is a serious health condition that is a chronic illness for the African Americans. Diabetes preventions strategies in African American community can be a tricky task to contain and prevent for several reasons I will discuss in this paper.
A reformation of the achievement levels of African-Americans starts through the investment of high achieving mentors, families, and friends. It begins with African-Americans straying away from statistical choices, such as placing improper value on education, community involvement, and health. The overcoming of such adversities involved with being an African-American woman has propelled my career goals. By striving to become a pharmacist and non-profit leader I am showing that the accomplishments of African-American women in health and leadership are not abnormal. One of the major causes of minority health disparities is the lack of minority health providers. As a healthcare provider, I will be better able to promote wellness in minority populations.
In the US type 2 diabetes is a major medical problem affecting all ethnic backgrounds and needs to be addressed. The pre-diabetic and diabetic population is steadily increasing every year despite medical advancements. Unfortunately, the African American population is at a disadvantage when it comes to diabetes. Preventing medical complications related to diabetes, initiating health promotion programs, increasing healthy lifestyle behaviors will essentially lead to a decrease risk of complications secondary to diabetes and overall improve patient
Another health issue that African Americans struggle with is diabetes. Diabetes is a disease that involves the body producing high levels of blood glucose levels (Powers, Dodd & Noland, 2006). There are two types of diabetes; type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is known as the juvenile onset diabetes and caused by a lack of insulin production and secretion while type 2 is characterized by deficiency of insulin production, decreased production of insulin and increased insulin production and can usually be controlled by diet and exercise (Smeltzer & Bare, 2003). African Americans are twice as likely to
Type two diabetes is a condition that affects the way the body produces blood sugar, glucose. Diabetes is 60% more common in black americans than white americans. DeNoon mentioned that they are also 2.5 times more likely to suffer a limb amputation. Most people with type two diabetes do not know they have it or recognize the early signs. Some common early signs and symptoms are increased thirst and hunger, frequent urination or urinary tract infections and also blurred vision. It is not a genetic disorder but can be associated by older relatives whom were diagnosed. A reason why diabetes gets worse to an african american rather than a white american is because many of them are in a high crime neighborhood location. They cannot just walk out and exercise because they simply just don't feel safe to do so. They don't have a decent local grocery with fresh vegetables and fruits. Regular exercise and a healthy diet is a key role for diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. But since they are in a location where it is not safe or the supplies are not decentable enough, they are more likely to be having these common conditions more than
There are three different types of diabetes that affect African Americans. The first is Type 1 diabetes, which runs in the history of the family (Baptiste-Roberts, 2007). This is brought on by a breaking
There are three unique sorts of diabetes that influences African Americans. The first is Type 1 diabetes, which keeps running ever (Baptiste-Roberts, 2007). This is brought on by a breaking down
This may account for about 5% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. The insulin production is, therefore, impaired and this affects almost one million people in the U.S. Risk factors are less definite for type 1 diabetes than for type 2 diabetes, but autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors are involved in emerging this type of diabetes. Obesity is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes also known as adult-onset diabetes, may account for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. “This is especially true for women, for 39.9% of African American women, compared with 24.0% of white American women have abdominal obesity”. (Marshall, 2005). Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include older age, family history of diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity. Information from the CDC states, the treatment for type 1 diabetes is healthy eating, physical activity, and insulin injections. The amount of insulin taken must be balanced with food intake and daily activities. Blood glucose levels must be closely monitored through frequent blood glucose testing. Type 2 treatment is the same; however, blood glucose testing is needed. In addition, many people with type 2 diabetes require oral medication, insulin, or both to control their blood glucose levels. People should also eat more fiber by eating more
The PICO question chosen was, In African Americans does low socioeconomic status increase the risk for diabetes compared to high economic status in relation to diet. African Americans are at greater risk of diabetes and other medical issues. It was researched if one that was African American was at a greater risk of developing diabetes because the cost of food. The data bases used for the research were, CINAHL and MEDLINE. The terms used in this search were socioeconomic factors, African Americans, diabetes mellitus, and diet.
The high number of reported new cases of diabetes yearly among ethnic minorities and the aging population is alarming. According to a report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National diabetes Statistics Report in 2014, diabetes is high among minorities; 15.9% American Indian/Alaska Native, 13.2% African American and 12.8% Hispanics. This is consistent with the community I worked with during the first part of my clinical rotation. The community of Casa de Merced in Tolleson. The residents comprise of low-income seniors aged 65 and over. Upon assessment of this community, the predominant health problems discovered were diabetes and high blood pressure. As a community nurse, it is vital to assess your community, identify problems and suggest remedies to stakeholders. This paper will attempt to analyze four peer reviewed articles on diabetes management and prevention.
Type II Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It is simply defined by the American Diabetes Association as the bodies’ inability to utilize insulin properly. The pancreas produces an abundance of insulin to overcompensate for the excessive intake of sugars resulting in the inefficiency to produce enough insulin to keep blood
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, "[By 1993] death certificates listed diabetes as the fifth leading cause of death for Blacks aged 45 to 64, and the third leading cause of death for those aged 65 and older in 1990.” (Bailey, 2007). These statistics show how serious the problem of diabetes has become in the black community. Epidemiological studies can focus the efforts of the healthcare community to effective interventions aimed at lowering the prevalence and incidence of diabetes among African Americans.
The genetics causes of Type I and Type II diabetes stem from elevated blood glucose levels. Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease characterized by b -cell destruction, usually leading to an absolute insulin deficiency (Dahlquist 5). Type II diabetes extends from primarily insulin resistance with relative insulin deficiency to primarily defective insulin secretion with insulin resistance.