Abstract
Diabetes Mellitus is a nutritional disease affecting millions of Americans and people worldwide. Recent studies have shown where there might be more people suffering from diabetes than those who have been diagnosed and are actually treated presently. ((Wild, 2004). The onset is insidious and asymptomatic in many instances. Lifestyle habits have been predisposing factors for its development in the absence of any sound etiology.
Twenty-first-century dietary practices among a growing fast-food culture have increased the incidences greatly as more children are being diagnosed with type one diabetes. Therefore, paramount to Public Health importance is intense education which should be undertaken in addressing key elements of prevention, generally, of this pancreatic dysfunction. The following pages of this document will project measures that can be adopted as educational strategies are implemented in health promotion and prevention disciplines.
Introduction
The writer would advance that supportive intervention in the control of diabetes mellitus necessities an integrated approach. To be most effective embracing many other disciplines outside health care itself would be rather beneficial in a public education campaign as it relates to the magnitude of this pandemic we have cultured in societies around the world.
World Health Organization anticipates, based on current trends that by the year two thousand and thirty the incidence of Diabetes Mellitus in the world would double. It means that there would be approximately two hundred million people with this condition. (Wild, 2004) Health educators then have a huge task ahead. Health promotion programs must be geared to reach these millions who are potential targets to halt this assault on their health.
Therefore, the purpose of this document is to offer conscientious alternatives to diabetes mellitus through massive community education involving the entire family. Most importantly, for families to know that eating determines the quality of our health. While food and eating are cultural, they must be healthy too.
This program is aimed at sensitizing the public concerning the real impact of diabetes on population growth, the number of people who die from untreated or complications of the disease, and the impact altered production and productivity levels have on psychosocial well-being.
In collaborating with other members of the community it would be beneficial to involve nutritionists, therapists, optomologists, phlebotomists, sociologists, business people, particularly, fast food chain owners as members of the audience in a teaching/ learning discussion forum setting. Hopefully, bringing together these essential knowledge skills can be achieved through discovery learning techniques.
How relevant is education in Diabetes Mellitus to current concepts of health promotion and disease prevention? This is a burring issue among many health educators including public health initiators in our global community. The Seventh Global Conference on Health Promotion revealed three concepts of health promotion and prevention, which are pertinent to this discussion.
Health Promotion Concepts
It was agreed that health promotion has specific expertise that can accelerate progress towards attainment of achievable goals; address the emergence of non-communicable diseases, injury, and mental disorders, a group of conditions that are growing at epidemic rates in low and middle-income countries; and assume responsibility “to tackle the issue of inequities in the distribution of health by gender, social class, income level, ethnicity, education, occupation, and other categories.” (“Health Promotion,” 2011).
These are, certainly, commendable concepts of health promotion and prevention applicable to diabetes mellitus, which is one of the non-communicable diseases obviously targeted by the Seventh Global Conference on Health Promotion held in Nairobi, Kenya during 20-30th October of 2009. (“Health Promotion,” 2011).
A precise conceptual framework reiterates that “health promotion strategies are not limited to a specific health problem, or to a specific set of behaviors.” (“Health Promotion,” 2011). “WHO as a whole applies the principles of, and strategies for, health promotion to a variety of population groups, risk factors, diseases, and in various settings too. More importantly, it encompasses the associated efforts put into education, community development, policy, legislation, and regulation.” (“Health Promotion,” 2011). This statement is supportive of all health promotion ventures, internationally, specifically confirming the World Health Organization’s philosophy of ‘health not being merely the absence of disease, but the total wellbeing of each individual.” (“Health Promotion,” 2011).
Evidence-Based Best Practice
As such, current evidence-based best practice trends in Diabetes Mellitus education programs are aimed at control of glucose levels, beta-blocker drug intervention, and cessation of smoking, mainly. These regimes have been adopted after extensive research, which proved that control of blood glucose levels alone does not prevent cardiovascular complications. Hence, a three-dimensional approach towards the prevention of complications was adopted. (Wong, 2006).
Subsequently, as nurses deliberate on evidenced-based best practices in the promotion of control, it became necessary that a round table discussion bringing together diverse skills and backgrounds in the profession be undertaken. Nurses analyzed best practices from the perspective of promoting self-management of diabetes. (Lewis, 2007).
An astounding discovery significant to this phenomenal educational approach was that each person needed to identify their role as a professional in health promotion and prevention of diabetes and harness appropriate resources that would adequately resolve the education puzzle. (Lewis, 2007). Theoretically, collaboration of skills for most favorable outcomes is advocated.
Cultural sensitivity was exposed as being vital to amending the education puzzle crisis. A study revealing experiences of three nurses on the team in review confirmed that shared heritage between providers and recipients fostered comfort and trust, but establishing this outside the boundaries of ethnicity was a huge challenge to be overcome. (Lewis, 2007). Therefore, educators must always be conscious of this aspect of cultural diversity impingement on race as groups are integrated.
While assessing best practices in the many facets of care for Type 11 diabetes mellitus, beside drug therapies and glucose monitoring lifestyle adjustments were highly recommended. These included diet, exercise and weight reduction. (Hall, 2008). Precisely, everyone has heard about this previously and it has profoundly become common sense health promotion jargon. This message is transmitted daily from almost all categories of health care providers. Yet still, obesity is on the rise. Definitely, it is indicative that more appropriate strategies towards public education regarding the debilitating consequences of diabetes mellitus are imperative.
Meanwhile in the presence of frightening prognoses surrounding the evolution of diabetes mellitus there is theoretical proof that with implementation of evidence based best care practices there are earthbreaking improvements in control of the disease. Conjoined studies between the American Diabetes Association and European Association for the Study of Diabetes confirmed that pre screening, diagnosis and therapeutic management were the foundations pillars of control. (Hill, 2009)
Further, more conclusive empirical evidence from American Association of Diabetes Educators through delivery of theoretical assumptions declared that “ physical activity, diet, adherence to medication regime; blood glucose monitoring; problem- solving intervention in cases of low blood sugar levels readings; risk reduction of complications and psychosocial adaptations were integral health promotion and preventions strategies for educational considerations.” (Hill, 2009).
Teaching- Learning Strategic Implementation
Therefore, collaborating nutritionists, therapists, optomologists, phlebotomists, sociologists, business people, particularly, fast food chain owners as members of an audience in a teaching/ learning discussion forum has proven essential to sensitizing the public concerning the real impact of diabetes on population growth. Besides it is important for the public to acquire information concerning the number of people who die each year from untreated or complications of the diseases and the impact of altered production and productivity levels has on the social structure as a whole.
The cultural and professional diversity of this group is vital to educating the community concerning pre screening, diagnosis and therapeutic management. It is the intention of this facilitator to adopt a discovery learning teaching technique. Education would be focused primarily at sensitizing members of the public to engage in annual prescreening for diabetes mellitus.
Besides professionals, among this group would be clients affected with the disease. They would serve as case study examples telling their story of coping as diabetics. Group discussion pertaining to any concern expressed by clients would be entertained. Concerns would be channeled to the appropriate professionals in the group for clarifications. These sessions are catered to last no longer than one to one and a half hours to facilitate attention deficits.
Squealing, this event consideration is given to have same group continue as a community based organization championing the cause for public education about diabetes prevention and control. It would then become necessary as an educator to target other communities and continue the teaching learning process.
Conclusion
Conclusively, in summarizing the teaching learning techniques to be employed as education regarding “Supportive Intervention in the Control of Diabetes Mellitus” is pursued, it must be emphasized that collaboration of community skills and expertise is vital for success. As such, the researcher has embraced in this discourse that nutritionists, therapists, optomologists, phlebotomists, sociologists, business people, particularly, fast food chain owners as valuable participants in a teaching/ learning discussion forum.
This strategy has been supported by round table discussion typology, which has been observed to not merely being beneficial, but important considerations for adequate dissemination of knowledge. Precisely, “the need to identify roles as professionals in health promotion and prevention of diabetes is extremely important in harnessing the most appropriate resources that would adequately resolve the education puzzle.” (Lewis, 2007). Theoretically, collaboration of skills for most favorable outcomes is advocated
“Health promotion and prevention concepts encourage such strategies in the realization that they encompass the associated efforts put into education, community development, policy, legislation and regulation.” (“Health Promotion,” 2011).
Evidenced based best care practices reiterate the need for teaching in physical activity management, diet, adherence to medication regime; blood glucose monitoring; problem- solving intervention in cases of low blood sugar level readings; risk reduction of complications and psychosocial adaptations. Conjoined studies between the American Diabetes Association and European Association for the Study of Diabetes confirmed that pre screening, diagnosis and therapeutic management were the foundations pillars of control. (Hill, 2009)
Therefore, any teaching learning program must not be limited to an individual client and the family, but massive education across communities being aware that the number of people with a predisposition to diabetes will double by twenty thousand and thirty. (Wild, 2004) Hence, a culturally diverse professional group is vital to educating the community concerning pre screening, diagnosis and therapeutic management. Intentionally, this facilitator will adopt a discovery learning teaching technique. Education would be focused primarily at sensitizing members of the public to engage in annual prescreening for diabetes mellitus.
World Health Organization anticipates, based on current trends that by the year two thousand and thirty the incidence of Diabetes Mellitus in the world would double. It means that there would be approximately two hundred million people with this condition. (Wild, 200). Importantly, this could mean millions alive today who are unaffected. Education is a powerful tool in reversal of this fallacy.
References
Hall, M, (2008). Type 11 diabetes: the many facets of care: Home Health Care Nurse, 26(6), Web.
Health Promotion. (2011). World health organization. Web.
Hill, A. Diabetes management: 2009 update. The Nurse Practitioner, 34(6), Web.
Lewis, L. (2007). Round table: promoting self management of diabetes. AJN, 107(6), Web.
Wild, S. (2004).Global Prevalence of Diabetes. American diabetes association. Web.
Wong, M. (2006). Clinical evidence review: best practices. Permanente Journal, 10(3), Web.