Diabetes and its Impact on Health: A Comprehensive Study

This document provides a comprehensive study on diabetes, its impact on health, risk factors, and interventions to improve health outcomes. It discusses the prevalence of diabetes in Massachusetts and the role of social cognitive theory in health promotion.

Diabetes is a medical condition where body is not able to utilize glucose and which leads
to high sugar level in blood. Glucose is the main source of energy for cells in the body. Glucose
levels are regulated by a hormone called insulin, which is secreted by pancreas. The main
function of insulin is to transfer sugar from blood into the cells to be use and stored for energy.
Diabetes being a demanding disease can effect quality of life in many ways (Goldstein and
Müller-Wieland, 2016). High sugar level in the blood causes stress and even cause imbalances
blood pressure.
Person suffering from diabetes has serious impacts on their life. Never ending demand of
body being effected from diabetes such as regular medications, vaccinations, eating carefully and
monitoring blood glucose levels at frequent basis can effect a person mentally. Diabetes
eventually effect blood pressure of an individual and also it may cause obesity to the person.
Obesity leads to increase in stress hormone (cortisol) which could cause dementia or some
serious mental health problem to individuals suffering from diabetes (Zhu and et. al., 2016).
However, it can be analyse that this particular medical condition has to be treated at initial level
otherwise it may effect the quality of life or eventually leads to early death of an individual.
Middle aged adults including both men and women with an age group of 40-59 years in
Massachusetts which is a state in New England area of North-eastern United States has been
effected by diabetes. Statistical evidence of adults being effected by diabetes in Massachusetts is
discussed below:
Prevalence of diabetes in Massachusetts has been increasing gradually since many
years. Around 3.9% of the individuals living in Massachusetts had diabetes in 1993. The amount
of effected individual has become double in next 22 years, which is an estimated of 8.9% of
Massachusetts individuals including middle aged adults in 2015 has been effected by this
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particular disorder (Massachusetts Diabetes Data, 2019). However, White non-Hispanic
Massachusetts residents has lesser chances of being effected by diabetes in comparison to black
non-Hispanic and Hispanic Massachusetts individuals. Prevalence of diabetes is increasing with
the age which is 18.5% and 22.8% in individuals with age group of 65-74 years.
Risk factors
Risk factors are the chances of increasing a particular disease. A physiological risk factor
such as stress can increase the chances of a person to increase diabetes. Stress can be consider as
a hurdle for body to control its blood sugar levels. Stress hormones may directly effect the
glucose levels. If an individual is experiencing some kind of stress, his body will react on it for
giving a fight response. Such responses will raise the hormonal levels and make nerve cells to
fire. Body will release hormones such as cortisol or adrenaline into the blood which eventually
leads to increase in respiratory rates (Hod and et. al., 2016). It will cause barriers for converting
glucose levels into energy and cause blood glucose levels to rise. There are ways through which
stress can worsen the effects of diabetes on individual health.
Raise blood sugar levels: Stress triggers the body to release stress hormones such as
cortisol. It is a hormone which helps the body to fight against tough conditions. Release of
cortisol cause increase in heart or breathing rates. Such conditions leads to transfer of glucose or
proteins which are stored in liver into the bloodstream. Body will release sugar into the blood in
order to provide energy throughout the system. Hence, it will result in high sugar levels.
Activates fat cells: Stress hormone which is cortisol triggers the enzymes of fat cells
which make the fats cells to be stored deep at the abdomen. Stress can lead to accumulation of
belly fats in the individuals. More stress leads to increase level of cortisol and which eventually
leads to abdominal fats. The fats at the centre of the stomach cause high level of blood pressure
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and diabetes. Individuals who are already suffering from diabetes may worsen their conditions if
they take a lot of stress. Cortisol also elevate food cravings of an individual which make it hard
to deal with diabetes.
Cause insulin resistance: Cortisol which is a stress hormone make uneasy for the
pancreas to secrete insulin which is require to transfer of glucose from bloodstream into the cells.
However because of stress pancreas struggle to meet the high demand of insulin. Level of
glucose in the blood is high (Berkowitz and et. al., 2016). It also also causes the cells to not
receive proper amount of glucose for functioning of system. These all actions causes insulin
resistance and may worse the conditions of the individuals already suffering from diabetes.
It effect sleep: stress as well as anxiety cause tension to individuals and make it difficult
for them to sleep. Different studies has been shown the negative consequences of improper sleep
on health conditions of individuals. Sleeping for less than 6 years cause impaired sugar tolerance.
Such conditions will cause increase of blood sugar level and may result in worse conditions for
individuals already suffering from diabetes. People who sleep less or individuals who are tired
tends to eat more as they need a source of energy. This cause people to consume food products
which has high sugar levels or that can elevate blood sugar levels.
Theory
Health promotion is a process of awaring and improving the health conditions of
individuals in a community. The main motive of health promotion is to enhance overall health
conditions of the individuals (Essien, Shahid and Berkowitz, 2016). There are number of health
promotion theories available that can be used by care professionals to improve the health status
of population in given geographcal area. One of such theory for promoting health is discussed
here.
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Social Cognitive theory: This Scene of this theory which people acquire by observation
another. In psychology, they justify the personality in terms of what person thinks about or
responds to one social environment. People are also more promising to simulate those with
whom they recognise. Bandura famously illustrated social erudition by display children picture
of a girl clout a doll conferred future with a doll, the children act up in likewise assertive ways.
Not all learning is enactment upon such as one may acquire to Holman Hunt by observant others
yet never in reality hunt.
This theory used in educational activity, psychological science or communication,
postulate which component part of a person cognition acquiring can be straight accompanying to
perceptive to some other inside the linguistic context of social fundamental interaction,
extracurricular media determinant and physical phenomenon. Calculate on whether people are
get reward or punished for their behaviour or the resultant of the behaviour that is exemplary.
The explanation proceeds into relationship a person gone experiences which cause into whether
behavioural human action will pass off (Basnet and et. al., 2016). These past experiences
impacted anticipate, re-enforce or outlook all of which form whether a someone will prosecute in
a particular activeness or the intellect why a person pursue in that human nature. This theory
germinate self skilfulness was added into SCT are Reciprocal determinism, Behavioural
Capability, observational learning, reinforcements, Expectations, self efficiency. This theory
includes many levels of the social ecology model in addressing demeanour alteration of
organism. Apart from this SCT is broadly used in health promotional material.
There are some key factors that are relevant to health activity alteration interventions of social
cognitive theory.
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 Reciprocal determinism:- It is the main concept of social cognitive theory. It bring up to
the reciprocal interaction and dynamic of a person, behaviour and environment. Observation learning:- In this, individuals can observe the behaviour which is
passageway by others and then produce those actions. It is exhibited by behaviours
modelling (Garg and et. al., 2016). If the individual have successful demonstration then
can accomplished the behaviour with success. Expectations:- it is linked with expected outcome of a person's behaviour. The outcomes
can be of related from health and non-health. The people expected the outcomes before
the involving in the behaviour and these can influence the occurrence of completion of
behaviour. The expectations can derived from previous experiences. Behavioural capacity:- in this the person's quality to carry the behaviour through
knowledge and skills. To make this behaviour successful, the person must need to know
about what they want to do and how to do (Gordon, Vantzelfde and Francis, 2016). The
individual can also learn from the past consequences which can also effect their
surroundings. Reinforcements:- it is linked with the external and internal responses of a person's
behaviour which affect the continuing and discontinuing of the behaviour. It can be
positive and negative and it mostly ties relationship between behaviour and environment.
 Self-efficacy:- in this the person can successfully perform a behaviour according to his
ability or confidence. This influences the person's specific capabilities as well as I
environmental factors.
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Intervention
Behavioural interventions are the actions which are taken by the individuals in respect of
their own health conditions. It include goal setting, problem solving, motivational interviewing
and self monitoring. Behavioural intervention in diabetes leads to better healthier outcomes. The
main purpose of the intervention is to create awareness among middle aged adults within the age
group of 40-59 in Massachusetts. Implementation of intervention program is to provide
information and knowledge regarding benefits of physical activities, improving diet as well as
cessation of cigarette among the middle aged adults of Massachusetts. Thus, for spreading
awareness among adults, development of a specific app is necessary so that individuals could
easily access the information regarding any health issues or facing any challenges regarding this
particular medical condition. Southern cross care is a public healthcare organisation in Australia
which provide care services to the individuals for living a healthy and safe lifestyle. Thus,
stakeholders of the organisation provide the app or online portal to the middle aged individuals
so that they could grab the mandatory information from it. This particular application will help
the individuals to monitor blood glucose level, will track nutrition database and intake of
carbohydrate, track physical activities and exercises by analysing the count of foot steps an
individual has taken throughout the day as well as measure the accuracy of physical exercise in
which individual is involved. Application will send short messages and some health tips so that
they could follow them easily.
Intervention based on Social cognitive theory will be beneficial for the targeted
population. It is appropriate for understanding of health behaviours because of interaction
between environment, individual and behaviour. Self efficacy is key element of theory in order
to bring changes in individual behaviour. Thus, this theory will help the individual to bring
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changes in their routine by introducing fruits vegetables in their diet, to quit smoking and to
perform physical exercises daily for controlling their blood sugar level.
This organisation aware the targeted population about the serious consequences of diabetes and
make them to develop some plans of actions such as:
Increase exercise: It has been suggested to the individuals of Massachusetts to indulge
in physical activities such as exercises. Such physical activities or exercise will help the middle
age adults to regulate their blood glucose levels. It helps in reducing cardiovascular risk factors
along with contributing in losing weight. Thus, exercise will improve overall well being of
targeted population. Exercise will also help to loose weight and improve balance. It has been
recommended that individuals with the age of 40 years must include balance train as a part of
their daily activities. Individuals should perform some aerobic exercises such as swimming.
Improve diet: Nutrition is consider to be an essential part of a healthy lifestyle in case of
diabetic patients. Eating healthy will leads to a healthier life. However, it has been recommanded
to the individuals that they should improve quality of their diet and should avoid high sugar and
high calorie food. They can include fruits and green vegetable in their diet as fruits are low in
calories and packed full of minerals, vitamins and fibres. It help to protect from heart strokes,
high blood pressure, and as it is low carb diet it would not let the fat cells to accumulate in body
parts (Commissariat and et. al., 2016). Diabetic person should choose what to eat, when to eat
and how much to eat in order to regulate their blood glucose levels. They can also include some
foods such as yogurt, milk, eggs, fish and some grains.
Decrease smoking rate: Smoking is injurious to health and it increase the risk of
diabetes. Adults of Massachusetts should not involve in smoking activities and must decrease
the rate of their smoking. Studies have suggested that high level of nicotine leads to negative
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impact on insulin hormone. Smoking make the blood vessels narrow and harden which cause the
less flow of blood throughout the whole body. Hence, diabetes leads to heart diseases, smoking
may causes and extra weight and increase the chance of individuals to adapt diabetes more
easily. The respective organisation suggest middle aged adults to make plans for quitting
smoking by setting out some regulations for themselves.
Evaluation
Evaluation is the process of determining worth or fitness of something. Thus, here
evaluation is carried out to analyse weather the intervention program work out for the middle
aged adults or not. It is necessary to measure the effectiveness of overall intervention program.
Efficacy evaluation can be perform after two years of intervention program to analyse if the
targets of the program has been met. It measure the effect of intervention. The population which
was selected was middle aged adults aged between 40-59 years in the Massachusetts. Data was
collected by using primary data collection method. Stakeholders of respective organisation ask
for feedbacks to the individuals and take a survey to find out how much the process of
intervention has effected to the individuals. Thus such feedbacks and surveys are taken from the
administrators of some health organisations and care homes to measure at what extent the effect
of diabetes has been decreased in middle aged adults. Overall process of intervention went well,
as it help the adults of Massachusetts to know about the effective actions they could take in
order to reduce the risk of diabetes and to prevent the current situation before it gets more
worsen. However, there were some limitations in the intervention program. Such as not overall
population was covered during the survey as being middle aged adults they were busy in their
professional life.
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In the group of individuals which were selected, middle aged adults aged between 40-59
years, intervention process help the whole group and make them to improve their diet. Nutrition
is consider to be an essential part of a healthy lifestyle in case of diabetic patients. Eating healthy
will leads to a healthier life. Including fruits and green vegetable in their diet is beneficial as
fruits are low in calories and packed full of minerals, vitamins and fibres. Physical exercises
such as swimming help the individuals to regulate their blood glucose levels. It helps in
reducing cardiovascular risk factors along with contributing in losing weight. Thus, exercise will
improve overall well being of targeted population. Individuals in the Massachusetts are now
aware about the severe and most negative consequences of diabetes. Intervention implemented
by respective organisation helped the individuals to prevent diabetes by introducing a healthy life
style and maintaining body weight with the help of dietary measures an physical activities. The
strategy of intervention process is to reduce the risk of obesity and fat deposition in individuals
as it have serious impacts on health and may worsen the conditions of diabetes. Different middle
aged adults has different body mass index, however it is important for them to take necessary
changes according to their diet. Social cognitive theory will help in evaluation of intervention
program because it will help in identifying learning outcomes of the individuals. It will also help
the organisation to analyse if the program has meet its specific target or not.
Risk factors like stress and lack of exercises lead to increase risk chances of diabesity.
However, process of interventions aware individuals to take some measures and steps to
overcome stress and encourage them to perform physical exercises. The process help the
individual to reduce the smoking rate in their daily activities and make them aware about serious
impacts of nicotine in blood flow and on blood glucose levels. It can be evaluated that
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implementation of intervention process will help the individuals to reduce the risk factors and
chances to develop diabetes.
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References
Books and journals
Basnet, K.M. and et. al., 2016. Prevalence of intervillous thrombi is increased in placentas from
pregnancies complicated by diabetes. Pediatric and Developmental Pathology, 19(6),
pp.502-505.
Berkowitz, S.A. and et. al., 2016. Risk of developing diabetes among refugees and immigrants: a
longitudinal analysis. Journal of community health, 41(6), pp.1274-1281.
Commissariat, P.V. and et. al., 2016. Developing a personal and social identity with type 1
diabetes during adolescence: a hypothesis generative study. Qualitative health
research, 26(5), pp.672-684.
Easter, S.R. and et. al., 2017. Disparities in care for publicly insured women with pregestational
diabetes. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 130(5), pp.946-952.
Essien, U.R., Shahid, N.N. and Berkowitz, S.A., 2016. Food insecurity and diabetes in developed
societies. Current diabetes reports, 16(9), p.79.
Garg, R. and et. al., 2016. Nurse practitioner–mediated intervention for preoperative control of
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Practitioners, 28(10), pp.528-533.
Goldstein, B.J. and Müller-Wieland, D. eds., 2016. Type 2 diabetes: principles and practice.
CRC Press.
Gordon, C.E., Vantzelfde, S. and Francis, J.M., 2016. Acetazolamide in lithium-induced
nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. New England Journal of Medicine, 375(20), pp.2008-
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Hod, M. and et. al., 2016. Textbook of diabetes and pregnancy. CRC Press.
Zhu, J. and et. al., 2016. Predictive model for estimating the cost of incident diabetes
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Online
Massachusetts Diabetes Data. 2019. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.mass.gov/service-details/massachusetts-diabetes-data>
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