Analyzing the Impact of Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis on Social Life

This essay critically appraises the research article by Feng and Astell-Burt (2017) on the impact of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis on mental health, quality of life, and social contacts. The analysis considers the health inequities depicted in the Dahlgren and Whitehead rainbow, focusing on environmental, economic, and social factors. The essay uses six questions from “A beginners guide to Critical Thinking and Writing” by Aveyard, Sharp and Woolliams (2015) to evaluate the research methodology, key messages, and the authors' objectives. It highlights the negative effects of type 2 diabetes on quality of life, social interaction, and mental health, suggesting that intervention and social support are crucial for mitigating these adverse effects. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of addressing the social and economic challenges faced by individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes to improve their overall well-being.

Running head: IMPACT OF DIAGNOSIS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES ON SOCIAL LIFE
IMPACT OF DIAGNOSIS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES ON MENTAL STATE, SOCIAL
AND QUALITY OF LIFE: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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IMPACT OF DIAGNOSIS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES ON SOCIAL LIFE
Introduction
In this essay the research article named “Impact of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis on
mental health, standard living of life, and social contacts: a longitudinal study” by Feng and
Astell-Burt (2017) will be critically appraised. The authors conducted the study to find out
whether diagnosis of type 2 diabetes deteriorates the life quality, social interaction and mental
and psychological health.
The case study revolves around an old Caribbean man who is 57 years old suffering
from diabetes type 2. He has been living in unhygienic surroundings. Moreover, financial
crisis is evident from the case study. The following assessment has been taken considering
the health inequities depicted in the Dahlgren and Whitehead rainbow. There are
environmental, economic and social inequities affecting a person’s health and the ability of
preventing illness. Here the effect on societal factors have been considered which affects the
person affected with diabetes and the subsequent effect of the health inequities on his overall
well-being (Pilgrim,2017).
Discussion
Critical analysis will be based on the six questions of “A beginners guide to Critical
Thinking and Writing” by Aveyard, Sharp and Woolliams (2015).
Based on the six questions, this paragraph encompasses how the research and
systematic review have been done. To search the research paper inclusion criteria was
applied. The articles were recent and published in a peer-reviewed journal. At the same time,
the topic was based on type 2 diabetes and the effect of its diagnosis on the social life of
individuals. Articles were shortlisted based on the above-mentioned inclusion criteria. Any
article which was not recent or published in a peer-reviewed journals were eliminated. Papers
which were not addressing the effect of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes on the psychological

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health and overall quality life were also excluded. After intense searching among the paper,
meeting the inclusion criteria one paper was selected which is already mentioned above as it
was exactly addressing the criteria. The effect of diagnosis of the type 2 diabetes on the
mental health and standard way of life has been discussed in this article.
Regarding what are the key messages focussed here, the influence considered in the
particular critical appraisal is societal influences. Insufficient management procedures have
increased the risks of the development of the complications as well as comorbidities
involving cardiovascular diseases. These have led to various social and economic penalties.
Moreover, negative personality traits seen among people affected with type II diabetes have
found to affect mental health levels of contact socially with other people and the quality life
as well. Thus this paper revolves around the studies for examining the various impacts on the
diagnosis of T2DM on the life’s quality and ranges of the types of social contact. For the
identification of the social factors of the diseases, logistic regressions have been used and
95% of CI has been detected. Fixed effects are the second statistical methods which have
been used for assessing the variables affecting the social impact on people suffering with
T2DM. The study is aimed at the patients suffering from type 2 diabetes as well as going
through the diagnosis where the average age of the patients were mostly 45 years or older.
Furthermore, the effect of diagnosis on their social and personal life, interaction with other
people, mental health and overall quality life has been assessed thoroughly to study the
detrimental effects of type 2 diabetes diagnosis on social interaction and life’s quality.
Without intervention the patients can develop poor psychological and mental health in the
long term.
Regarding who and when has the author written this article, the authors have
conducted a longitudinal data analysis based on primary research. Data was collected from 45
and Up baseline study where survey was self-complete and conducted between 2006 to 2009.

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Fixed effects of negative and logistic models of binomial regression has been used on a
complete case. The outcome sample (N= 26344) of the case has not reported T2DM at
baseline. It was adjusted for time-varying confounders where follow-up time was. 3.4±0.95
years. Follow-up was an exposure which was type 2 diabetes diagnosed by the doctor.
Kessler Psychological Distress Scale was used to examine the outcome variables. Self-rating
about quality life and 4 social contact indicators were also used to evaluate the outcome
variables (Feng and Astell-Burt 2017). The quantitative research method was used in a proper
way to evaluate the effect of type 2 diabetes and its diagnosis on the patients. The method
was systematic and logical. The quantitative study was easily understandable and outcome
was clear about the effect of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and its effect the quality life
(Trikkalinou, Papazafiropoulou and Melidonis 2017).
Regarding the main aim of the article or why this article has been written, diagnosis
of type 2 diabetes can have negative effects on the quality life and mental health of an
individual. The quality life does get affected by the type 2 diabetes and its diagnosis. The
psychological health also deteriorates (Donald et al. 2013). According to Kato et al. (2016)
type 2 diabetes and the self-management of the disease creates an internal stigma and mental
disintegration. Type 2 diabetes has detrimental effects on life’s quality (Kuznetsov et al.
2014). It was also supported by. Rombopoulos et al. (2013). According to Look AHEAD
Research Group (2014) intervention is necessary to improve the mental disintegration and
severe depression that may arise from type 2 diabetes. Productivity of work and quality life is
disrupted by type 2 diabetes (Lopez et al. 2014). The situation can only get better by reducing
the impact of type 2 diabetes of the patients (Moghissi, Ismail-Beigi and Devine 2013). The
socio-economic life gets affected by the detrimental effects of type 2 diabetes (Maier et al.
2013). Various researcher in this timeline supported what the authors have proposed in this

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research article. The negative impacts of type 2 diabetes have been reported by many
researchers.
Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes resulted in the patients reporting about the quality life
deteriorated significantly. The diagnosis also affected their social life where they spent lesser
time with their friends and family. Socially they became isolated which affected there
psychological and mental health severely. This results were based on the research conducted
by the authors based on the primary data collection and quantitative analysis of that data. So
this is a research study based on data collection, evaluation, results and conclusion (Feng and
Astell-Burt 2017).
These paragraphs would focus why these information have been given the authors
have conducted an independent research which was based on longitudinal data collection and
analysis. Both the authors are epidemiologist and finding the relation with type 2 diabetes
diagnosis with the mental health and life’s quality of the patient was the objective of
conducting this research. From the research paper no biasness towards any decision or
inference was reflected. The results were solely based on the quantitative longitudinal data
analysis.
In the given article, the variables and their relations have not been considered clearly.
Moreover the relation between the various factors have not been justified throughout the
essay. Research gap is clearly specified in the whole study. Thus the reasons behind the
consideration of the factors and their justification is not clearly specified throughout the
paper.
Conclusion
This paragraph would deal with the reason this article has been written or how the
author has come to the conclusion. This can be concluded after critically analysing the

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research article that there is the presence of a correlation between quality life and diagnosis of
type 2 diabetes. Though the study should be conducted for a longer period as the follow-up
time for this study was short (Feng and Astell-Burt 2017). Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is
quintessential for clinical intervention of the patients although it has negative impact on the
social interaction and quality life of the patients. So the patients who are going through
diagnosis of type 2 diabetes should be supported financially by the Government if the person
is economically weaker. At the same time all the patients should be under intervention where
they will interact with their friends, family and different people in the society. This way they
will not feel isolated and their social life will improve. This will ensure their quality life and
mental health also recovering gradually. So along with the diagnosis including type 2
diabetes the patients should get social exposure where they can interact with others. This may
nullify the adverse effects of type 2 diabetes and improve the life’s quality of the patients.

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References
Donald, M., Dower, J., Coll, J.R., Baker, P., Mukandi, B. and Doi, S.A., 2013. Mental health
issues decrease diabetes-specific quality of life independent of glycaemic control and
complications: findings from Australia’s living with diabetes cohort study. Health and
quality of life outcomes, 11(1), p.170.
Feng, X. and Astell-Burt, T., 2017. Impact of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis on mental health,
quality of life, and social contacts: a longitudinal study. BMJ Open Diabetes Research and
Care, 5(1), p.e000198.
Kato, A., Fujimaki, Y., Fujimori, S., Izumida, Y., Suzuki, R., Ueki, K., Kadowaki, T. and
Hashimoto, H., 2016. A qualitative study on the impact of internalized stigma on type 2
diabetes self-management. Patient education and counseling, 99(7), pp.1233-1239.
Kuznetsov, L., Griffin, S.J., Davies, M.J., Lauritzen, T., Khunti, K., Rutten, G.E. and
Simmons, R.K., 2014. Diabetes-specific quality of life but not health status is independently
associated with glycaemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional
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Look AHEAD Research Group, 2014. Impact of intensive lifestyle intervention on
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