Diabetes Mellitus and Its Impact on West African Women's Health

This report provides a detailed analysis of Diabetes Mellitus, focusing on its impact on West African women. It explores the causes, including genetic factors, unhealthy diets, and gestational diabetes, which leads to significant health complications and increased mortality rates. The report highlights the importance of early diagnosis, proper medication, and lifestyle modifications. The role of nurses in providing effective care and implementing strategies to improve treatment outcomes is emphasized. These strategies include individualized care plans, routine check-ups, patient education, and the promotion of physical activities. The report also addresses ethical considerations, such as informed consent and the need for nurses to address moral dilemmas. Finally, the report concludes with a discussion of the importance of ongoing research and the implementation of effective nursing interventions to improve the quality of life for West African women affected by Diabetes Mellitus.

Running head: DIABETES MELLITUS AMONG WEST AFRICAN WOMEN
Diabetes Mellitus among West African Women
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1DIABETES MELLITUS AMONG WEST AFRICAN WOMEN
Executive Summary
The primary purpose of the below paper is to give an idea about the disease named Diabetes
Mellitus and its disproportionate effect on health all over the world. The condition can be
caused by many factors. It has also affected the population of West African Women which
also increased the death rate. The reason can be undiagnosed diabetes among the women as
well as lack of physical activities and improper diet. Nurses play an essential role in caring
for and controlling the situation with effective treatment. Lastly, the paper provides a plan
and strategies that can be undertaken to resolve the issue.

2DIABETES MELLITUS AMONG WEST AFRICAN WOMEN
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Supporting Literature of the Problem........................................................................................3
Strategies to Improve treatment.................................................................................................4
Ethical Concerns........................................................................................................................5
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................7

3DIABETES MELLITUS AMONG WEST AFRICAN WOMEN
Introduction
Diabetes Mellitus or Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common metabolic conditions
categorized by the high level of glucose in the blood over a long time. The state begins when
the body fails to utilize or respond to the secreted insulin hormone from the pancreas creating
a deficiency of insulin within the body. The disease often gives rise to many complications
like kidney failure, heart diseases, ketoacidosis and many others (Defronzo et al., 2015).
About 425million people all over the world have diabetes which needs to pay attention. The
primary purpose of the below paper is to focus on diabetes among African Women and to
plan proper management of the disease to cure.
Supporting Literature of the Problem
West African population is also not spared from this epidemic condition of diabetes.
The figures are predicted to increase with numbers from 19.8million in 2013 to 41.5million in
2035. Men and women are equally grasped by this condition due to the occurrence of more
economic development. The rates are almost the same for all the classes of society. The
mortality rates are also accepted to rise making the scenario more complicated in the
upcoming years. One of the leading causes of this deterioration is undiagnosed diabetes
among African especially in women. Gestational diabetes is also common among women that
do not get cures and causes high death among the population (Mwanri et al.,2015). The
condition can be controlled by proper diagnoses and providing medication, diet and physical
activities.
Women are experiencing diabetes at a high rate. Gestational diabetes is prevalent
which leads to other complications like difficulties in labor, heavy bleeding, breathing

4DIABETES MELLITUS AMONG WEST AFRICAN WOMEN
problems. It gets cured after the delivery but it often arises after 4 to 5years due to several
factors.
Nursing care and treatment are some of the significant steps in controlling diabetes
(Mays, 2015). The nurses should follow the guidelines about the disease. Importance should
be given about the developmental stage, patients' requirements. Researches have been done
upon the effectiveness of the nursing plan and treatment to improve the quality of care to the
patient. It has been established from the study that nurse-patient interaction made a practical
approach to control diabetes. They focused upon limiting the use of sweeteners among the
patients and achieved a positive response. They also concentrated upon providing effective
medicines to the patients according to their needs, which was a bit challenging situation as
most people are not comfortable in consuming conventional drugs. Another plan was
adjusting with the patient’s behavior and motivating them to consume proper medicines. A
study showed several problems associated with patients like obesity, extreme diet, and
hyperglycemia (Araújo et al., 2020). However, more actions need to be adopted for the
maintaining of physical activities as well as self-monitoring of glucose level. This will reduce
the problem of undiagnosed diabetes among the West African population.
Strategies to Improve treatment
The planning strategy can be standardized or individualized (Doenges, Moorhouse &
Murr, 2016). Nurses can evaluate the indication of hyperglycemia and try to resolve it by
proper care, for that routine check-up and acute observation needs to be given to each patient.
Patients with diabetes are prone to infections and other diseases that take a longer time to
heal. Routine planning to check the feet to monitor neuropathy problems can be included in
planning treatment. Nurses should introduce physical activities among the patients which will
also reduce the problem of obesity. Patients are often scared of taking intravenous injections

5DIABETES MELLITUS AMONG WEST AFRICAN WOMEN
of insulin to elevate the glucose level; nurses must provide knowledge about the utility of
those drugs. They should also introduce how to monitor glucose levels by the instrument at
home. Diabetes programs can also be presented by the nurses which will not only help in
social interaction among the patients but also will increase awareness among other people in
the community. However, diabetes can give rise to other problems which can be dangerous
for the patients. Nurses should provide proper information about the unforeseen risks to the
patients so that the condition can be resolved. The steps of planning
Ethical Concerns
The patients and the family must be informed about the treatment plan.
The family and the patients must also be known about all the complications.
The moral agony due to responsibility problem that is often faced by nurses which is another
ethical issue needs to be controlled.
However, The African Health Profession Regulatory Collaborative (ARC) provided practical
guidelines for improving nursing care and practice (Gross, Maureen & Carey, 2015).
Conclusion
The above paper discussed the disease of Diabetes Mellitus and its various
complications. It can cause by multiple factors like a genetic, healthy diet and even more. It
affected the entire world including West African women. The rate of spreading is increasing
action
evaluation
nursing diagnosis

6DIABETES MELLITUS AMONG WEST AFRICAN WOMEN
day by day which is leading to high mortality. Various researches have been done to improve
and fill the gap of treatments by the nurses. Lastly, the paper also discusses a few strategies to
improve the quality of treatment along.

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References
Araújo, E., Silva, L., Moreira, T., Almeida, P., Freitas, M., & Guedes, M. (2020). Nursing
care to patients with diabetes based on King’s Theory. Retrieved 13 February 2020,
from http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2016-0268
DeFronzo, R. A., Ferrannini, E., Groop, L., Henry, R. R., Herman, W. H., Holst, J. J., ... &
Simonson, D. C. (2015). Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nature reviews Disease
primers, 1(1), 1-22.
Doenges, M. E., Moorhouse, M. F., & Murr, A. C. (2016). Nursing diagnosis manual:
Planning, individualizing, and documenting client care. FA Davis.
Gross, J. M., Maureen, K., & Carey, M. (2015). A model for advancing professional nursing
regulation: The African Health Profession Regulatory Collaborative. Journal of
Nursing Regulation, 6(3), 29-33.
Mays, L. (2015). Diabetes mellitus standards of care. Nursing Clinics, 50(4), 703-711.
Mwanri, A. W., Kinabo, J., Ramaiya, K., & Feskens, E. J. (2015). Gestational diabetes
mellitus in sub‐Saharan Africa: systematic review and metaregression on prevalence
and risk factors. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 20(8), 983-1002.