Care of Patients Newly Diagnosed With Diabetes Type 2 in Low-Income Settings (Essay Sample)

Factors Influencing Management and Ongoing Care of Patients Newly Diagnosed With Diabetes Type 2 in Low-Income Settings
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Factors Influencing Management and Ongoing Care of Patients Newly Diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2 in Low-Income Settings
Introduction
Diabetes Type 2 has been considered a global health concern, especially in the developing countries. Globally, it directly affects approximately 290 million, 70% of whom are in low-income settings (Wilkinson, Whitehead & Ritchie, 2014). In the recent past, researchers have demonstrated that early medical intervention is key towards a proper control of diabetes both in the high-income and low-income settings. This, therefore, implies that the resulting impacts or complications related to diabetes type 2 can be controlled early enough to ensure that the consequences are minimized among affected individuals. Adequate management and ongoing care for patients with diabetes type 2 entails development of measures and enhancing access to diabetes care as well as proper medication. Furthermore, it involves undertaking an advance medical examination and providing support that is required for the management of the disease.
A lot of actions have been taken by global health organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO) in addressing the problems related to diabetes across the world. However, there has been a lot of challenges in the developing economies, which are characterized by low-income earners. While the contribution of these organizations has been greatly recognized, individual efforts as seen from the effects is still low in the low-income countries. These arise due to lack of adequate funds to manage and control the development of the medical problem.
Therefore, in this report, an in-depth examination of the factors that influence the management and ongoing care of patients newly diagnosed with diabetes type 2 in low-income settings has been addressed. Although there are many factors that have been attributed to this phenomenon, inadequate income has been cited as the most common problem. The next section of the study provides a review of existing literature concerning the topic as well as a theoretical framework that is aimed towards addressing the issue. A review of the existing literature is critical to the development of adequate knowledge on the management of Diabetes Type 2 among the newly diagnosed patients.
Section II: Review of Literature & Theoretical Framework
Several studies agree that self-management or education related to diabetes is a critical element for new patients diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes to prevent its development. According to Rawal et al. (2015), self-management involve the activities that individuals engage in with an aim of improving overall health. Examples include; exercise and healthy diet. Self-management of Diabetes Type 2 is also important in preventing the condition from advancing into more complex stages. Existing research has also demonstrated that management and self-care for Type 2 Diabetes in the developing countries, which are associated with low-income individuals has been in the low-end. This is majorly due to the low income that can sustain the process. Low-income settings have low income that can support a healthy diet as recommended; thus, advancing the condition. Additionally, there is lack of funds to acquire the medicines that ae necessary for the management of Type 2 Diabetes among the individuals. Others have established that high-income factor in the management and care of diabetes type 2 for the newly diagnosed patients.
Rawal et al. (2015) agree that one of the effective ways of controlling or managing Type 2 Diabetes globally is lifestyle interventions. In the study, they demonstrate that lifestyle intervention significantly contributes towards the risk of developing the disease. However, this is hardly manageable in low-income settings (Rawal et al., 2015). According to the study, lifestyle interventions involve engaging in activities such as physical activities, health diets, and weight loss among others. For low-income earners, this is minimal due to inadequate funds that limit the diet options or related activities. Additionally, he asserts that competing priorities are a major hindrance in the management and ongoing care for Type 2 Diabetes in the developing economies (Rawal et al., 2015). While high-income settings have a wide range of alternatives, the low-income ones are limited by the high poverty levels. Management of Diabetes Type 2 requires that the patients seek regular check-ups and screening as self-management practices among the diagnosed. However, due to the limited funds in low-income settings, this is challenging making the ongoing care and management difficult in these settings.
According to Ku and Kegels (2014) in a study conducted in Norther Philippines regarding Type 2 Diabetes self-care and management, the effectiveness of the existing healthcare systems is another that factor that affects the management and ongoing care if newly diagnosed patients. Low-income settings are commonly associated with poor healthcare systems that are unable to effectively manage the disease among the newly diagnosed patients (Ku & Kegels, 2014). Notably, health care systems make a major contribution towards the management of Type 2 Diabetes. However, with inadequate facilitates to address the issue, its early management and care are reduced. Moreover, according to Ku and Kegels (2014), accessibility to healthcare services in the low-income settings is another factor that influences its management. These countries have a poor access to the necessary services, unlike the developed countries, making the management difficult (Ku & Kegels, 2014).
Management and self-care for Type 2 Diabetes require frequent monitoring of blood sugar levels and clinical consultations, especially among the newly diagnosed patients. However, this is lacking in the low-income settings. Wilkinson, Whitehead, and Ritchie (2014) assert that patients in the developing economies have a negative attitude towards frequent medical consultations and blood sugar monitoring. Although this is partly contributed to their general economic status, a greater number view it as an insignificant exercise. These individuals have little knowledge and poor practices relating to the management and care of the disease leading to its development among the poor, resulting in early death. For instance, according to Ku and Kegels (2014), approximately 45% of the diagnosed patients with Type 2 Diabetes rarely go for frequent medical examinations and consultations, leading to its expansion.
Furthermore, there is few medical staff in these regions that can assist in the management and ongoing among these individuals. The ratio of patients to healthcare officers is very low in the low-income settings; thus, negatively affecting the management process (Carbone et al., 2007). In low-income settings, there are few medical doctors that can assist the newly diagnosed patients with Type 2 Diabetes. This makes it difficult for the patients to manage the condition and access frequent medical examination. These settings also have poor facilities that are useful in the management of the disease among newly diagnosed patients. Notably, new patients require more attention compared to the patients with mature conditions. It is however limited by the limited staff and facilities for the management.
According to Al-Adsani et al. (2009), there is little knowledge about Type 2 Diabetes among the adults in Kuwait. One of the major factor that contributes to this phenomenon is low-income that hardly supports knowledge acquisition in the regions. Low-income settings have high-literacy levels, which makes it hard to manage and have effective care for Type 2 Diabetes. In the study, Al-Adsani et al. (2009) confirm that knowledge on the management of the disease among the patients is critical to its control. This is lacking in the low-income settings. Low-income contributes to high illiteracy levels in the developing economies, which limits the management of the disease. Further, this is due to lack of proper education that is offered to the patients or extension education services regarding its management and care in the early stages of development (Carbone, et al. 2007). Finally, the major challenge with the low-income setting is the poverty levels that is caused by the low incomes. Individuals in these settings lack the necessary funds that are required to effectively management and control Type 2 Diabetes among the newly diagnosed patients.
While these studies have made significant contributions towards the management and care of Type 2 Diabetes among the newly diagnosed individuals, there is still a lot of research and studies that need to be carried out in this specific field. It is important to conduct statistical studies and analysis that assists in the effective management of the problem. Researchers have exploited some of the techniques such as the meta-aggregation and qualitative studies using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) approach (Powers et al., 2015. However, there is much that needs to be done to enhance the effectiveness of these methodologies in addressing the problem. In the next section, a comprehensive description of the methodologies applied in this study is addressed. This aims at addressing the gaps that available in the existing research studies on the topic.
Additional statistical studies have been conducted to study the factors influencing the management and ongoing care of new diagnosed patients with Diabetes Type. Wilkinson, Whitehead and Ritchie (2014) collected data based on interviews and questionnaires from a sample of 250 patients and health practioners. Further, the data on newly diagnosed patients were collected from the healthcare fa...