Type 2 Diabetes In Australia

Many studies have examined the link between poverty and diabetes. The CDC (2015b) have identified the following as primary factors that lead an individual to have an increased risk of developing diabetes: being overweight or obese; having a parent or sibling with diabetes; having African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino heritage; having a history of gestational diabetes; having blood pressure measuring 140/90 or higher; abnormal cholesterol; and being physically inactive.

Diabetes has become a serious issue in indigenous Australians in Australia. According to the Australian human rights commission (2001), indigenous people were three times more than non- indigenous Australians. Compared with all the population in the world, aboriginal Australians have the fourth highest rate of type 2 diabetes. Around 10% to 30% of them are diagnosed with diabetes and many of them will have the disease in early age (Better Health Channel, 2011). Based on the truths stated above, it shows that diabetes is serious health problems around indigenous Australians that need to be solved eagerly. This report will discuss four parts regarding diabetes among indigenous Australians included impact on the individual, family, population, together with, the implications for the role of nurse dealing with.

Between 1994 and 2004, the rate of diabetes mellitus among American Indians (AI) below the age of 35 doubled, from 8.5 to 17.1 diagnoses per 1,000 individuals,

Native Americans are mainly affected with type 2 diabetes. This is are mainly due education barriers. Not fully understanding the diagnosis usually leads to further problems, like not being able to treat the diagnosis

Environmental barriers, such as, not having access to healthy food can have an adverse impact on a person health, especially if their lives are further complicated by a chronic illness. For instant, diabetes which is a disease that affects at least 16 million Americans; African Americans and Latinos are the groups that are affected the most, as compared to the White population (Horowitz, Colson, Hebert & Lancaster, 2004). African Americans and Latinos are more likely to have more complications due to diabetes as well as a higher mortality rate (Horowitz et al., 2004). Some populations of people are prone to having a high prevalent rate of diabetes; therefore, research done at a community level is necessary to help figure out why

Diabetes mellitus is a disease caused by the loss of the ability to control the glucose level in the blood by the loss of insulin. This disease can be of many types, but the prevalence of type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes are mostly seen in Australia, with type 2 being more common (AIHW, 2011). 4% of Australians have Diabetes, and according to the 2004-2005 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, diabetes was three times more common in Indigenous Australians than in the Non-Indigenous Australians.

In the assigned reading article, researchers propose that minority populaces are at higher risk for diabetes than the social majority. This risk is directly linked to a decreased sense of educational attainment and high levels of

Poor people were at higher risk of developing diabetes when compared to middle income bracket. They were hospitalized at a faster rate compared to middle income people. Poor people were less likely to receive the recommended follow ups. They are more likely to suffer from inequality of diagnosis and care even with universal health coverage (Hsu et al., 2012).

According to international research, there is indication that low socioeconomic status is associated with poor health and increased exposure to health risk factors (Blakely, Hales & Woodward, 2004; Turrell & Mathers, 2000; Carson, Dunbar, Chenhall & Ballie, 2007, as cited in Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008). Data shows that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people without completion of education were more likely to habitually smoke, consume high volumes of alcohol, engage in low levels of exercise and were less likely to eat fruit and vegetables on a day-to-day basis (ABS, 2008). Other social influences relating to the issue of poor health include low income, unhygienic living conditions and remote location (Healey, 2002). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with low income have little available funds for purchasing health care and dietary needs and those living in remote areas have restricted access to health facilities and resources (ABS, 2008; Australian HealthInfoNet, 2013).

The prevalence in the rise of diabetes in Australia suggests that there are still various outstanding inequities and social justice aspects restricting people from

In this case, most individuals who are afflicted with this disease are between the ages of forty to sixty, which may be a result of certain social determinants. There are five main social determinants that influence the prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The first socio-ecological determinant is culture and community support, which pertains to the individual’s culture and how they view T2DM (Clark & Utz, 2014). Often, in this age group, if the community does not provide support and if there is a negative culture perception of the disease, there will not be a high number of individuals that partake in self-care for T2DM. Another factor is access to medical care, which implies that if people do not have access to care, he or she will not be able to screen for T2DM, or receive treatment to control the disease (Clark & Utz, 2014). Education is a crucial factor, since there is a direct link between educational attainment and improved health outcomes (Clark & Utz, 2014). In this age group, if individuals are uneducated about the disease, they are most likely unaware of the risk factors and treatment options for T2DM. Another factor is economic stability, which has a direct correlation with health outcomes (Clark & Utz, 2014). Thus, if a person is of higher socio-economic status, he, or she in this age group, is more likely to obtain medical

Many studies have shown that socioeconomic status that people have is associated with their health status, which means the differences among people’s socioeconomic status would therefore lead to health inequality in this society. This essay addresses the relationship between socioeconomic positions and the incidence of type 2 diabetes and obesity, and discusses the reasons why health inequality exists by applying to four explanations, including material&structural resources, natural&social selection, culture&behaviour and historical context.

Diabetes is the epidemic of the 21st century and the biggest challenge confronting Australia’s health system. The facts about diabetes in Australia are alarming. 280 Australians develop diabetes every day, that’s one person diagnosed, every five minutes. Around 1.7 million people are living with diabetes, with 500,000 people undiagnosed. There are 2.2 million Australia at high risk of developing Diabetes T2 and the estimated cost of type 2 Diabetes per year is $14.6. T2 diabetes represents 85-90% of all case of diabetes and of often manageable with healthy eating and regular physical activity.

Australians may be living longer but major, and mostly preventable, lifestyle-related risk factors such as high rates of obesity, poor nutrition, alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical inactivity are contributing to greater levels of disease and disability, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, people in the lowest socio-economic groups, and those living in very remote areas (Keast, 2016). Mrs Akajen, a 76 year old Aboriginal woman living in the Torres Strait presented to her local medical centre with shortness of breath and lethargy. After closer analysis, the medical professionals at Horn Island diagnosed her with heart failure and sent her to another islands hospital for further investigation. Mrs Akajen’s daughter,

It becomes a learning experience for the whole family, as children have to learn about injections, counting carbohydrates and monitoring blood sugar levels. Diabetes complications include blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage, circulatory problems, heart disease and early death. Therefore, well managed diabetes can reduce the development of these risk. However, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is on the rise due to the increase in child obesity within New Zealand. T2DM is triggered by unhealthy lifestyles and children of Maori and pacific decent, which rates are increasing (Diabetes youth New Zealand, 2016).