Project Plan: Review of Diabetes Among Indigenous Peoples

Running head: PROJECT PLAN
PROJECT PLAN
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1PROJECT PLAN
Topic: Diabetes among the indigenous population among the community dwelling settings
Introduction
Health-issues and the associated health-inequalities have their roots deep inside the
structure of the society and the same is been reflected in the life chances of the people of
different social classes, ethnic/racial backgrounds and other aspects of the social stratification
(Sampson et al., 2016). The following assignment is based on developing a plan and proposal
for the decision-making and other problem solving in relation to one selected healthcare
issue. The development of the proposal for the health-care issues will further help in
improving the health-related quality of life of the population and at the same time helps to
reduce disease burden and the cost of disease management. The main health-related problem
or health care issue will be Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, a lifestyle disease that are popular
among the older adults. The conduction of this project will help to increase the overall
contribution and effectiveness of the public health towards reducing the unfair and
inequitable difference in health among the population group. A health project will help to
provide a detailed understanding and insights about the importance of the proper
implementation of the changes in the public health. Here the special focus will be given over
the health-related inequalities among the community dwelling adults.
Healthcare issue selected
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disease that is characterised by high
level of blood glucose (hyperglycemia). In T2DM, the glucose cells becomes unresponsive
towards insulin and thus preventing the re-uptake of glucose into the hepatic cells. Unhealthy
lifestyle conditions lead to the development of the disease and thus T2DM falls under the
category of lifestyle disease (Diabetes Australia, 2020).

2PROJECT PLAN
Why it is a healthcare priority
T2DM affects the growing international population and thus casting significant
economic and social loss. Diabetes, either undiagnosed or diagnosed is regarded as one of the
prime independent risk factors for the development of cardio-vascular disease, renal
complications, blindness and amputation. Indigenous Australians are 4 more times vulnerable
to develop T2DM and have high mortality and morbidity rate in comparison to the non-
indigenous population. T2DM is regarded as 12th largest contributors to Australia’s disease
burden during 2015 leading to 2.2% of the total disease burden. At least 11% of the
Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) population (indigenous population) suffer from
diabetes (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (AIHW), 2019). Paul et al. (2017) stated
that screening of undetected T2DM along with effective management, is an effective
approach to prevent its complications and this opportunity is particularly important among
the high risk population (ATSI). Titmuss et al. (2019) further highlighted that metabolic
disease like T2DM and cardio-vascular disease are responsible for the gap in life-expectancy
among the indigenous and non-indigenous population. The associated high rates of
hospitalization and mortality rate and indicate health-inequality. During 2013, the rate of
hospitalization arising out of T2DM and cardio-vascular disease were 1.6 to 2.5 times higher
among the ATSI population and this percentage is dependent on age. ATSI adults are six
times likely to die from T2DM in comparison to the non-indigenous population. Indigenous
adolescents with T2DM are 10-times more likely to get hospitalised in comparison to the
non-indigenous population. The rate of hospitalizations is however, regarded as a poor
indicator for the prevalence of diabetes-related complications prevailing within the
community (Kenyon, 2013). Nevertheless, the burden of the diabetes development and rate of
diagnosis of the diabetes among the ATSI population is higher in comparison to the non-

3PROJECT PLAN
indigenous population and thus clearly indicating the requirement for health priority (Pauly et
al., 2013).
Rationale behind addressing this priority
According Diabetes Australia, improving the lives of the ATSI population residing in
communities is the prime health-care priority as this will help to reduce the overall disease
burden and health inequality (Kenyon, 2013). Kenyon (2013) stated that reduction in the rate
of occurrence of T2DM at disproportionate rate among the indigenous population will help to
reduce the overall disease burden over the ATSI population. Reduction in the disease burden
over the ATSI population will help to improve the overall socio-economic status of the ATSI
population and thus helping to reduce the socio-economic health-inequality and health-related
inequality. The public health leaders have long identified the importance of improving the
health-related quality of life of the population at large, with a special focus over the
indigenous population. In future, the improvements in health of the population will be
achieved through promoting health-related equity by taking action on the social determinants
of health (Sampson et al., 2016).
The specialty area of nursing practice
The main specialty area of the nursing practice that will be focused in this paper is
community nurses. Egbujie et al. (2018) stated that I Australia the number of reported cases
of T2DM is increasing and this is in accordance with the global scenario. In Australia, the
conditions are more severe among the indigenous population. In association with the
escalating number of the diabetic population, there is also an escalating need for the
community health nurses. Community health nurses mainly help to deliver the T2DM self-
management education and thus helping to improve the overall clinical outcome. The main
self-management skills promoted by the community health nurses include structured