Uncontrolled Diabetes in Indigenous America: Causes and Solutions

This presentation explores the issue of uncontrolled diabetes among indigenous populations in America, highlighting its higher prevalence compared to non-indigenous groups and its association with increased mortality and morbidity. The presentation identifies key contributing factors such as lifestyle choices (smoking and alcohol consumption), unhealthy diets, increased obesity trends, genetic predispositions, and inadequate governmental support. It also points out gaps in existing research, particularly the lack of perspectives from indigenous communities themselves regarding diabetes management and lifestyle choices. To address these gaps, the presentation proposes a qualitative research approach using open-ended questionnaires to gather insights from indigenous Americans, aiming to understand their experiences and inform more effective, person-centered healthcare strategies. Ethical considerations, including informed consent and privacy, are also emphasized. The ultimate goal is to improve government strategies, enhance healthcare facilities, and raise disease awareness within indigenous communities.

Uncontrolled
diabetes in
indigenous
America
Presented by:

Introduction
 Diabetes: Increase in the blood sugar level in the body
There are three common types of diabetes
 Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) or insulin dependent diabetes
mellitus
 Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) or insulin independent
diabetes mellitus
 Gestational diabetes [1]
The following presentation will highlight the important points
highlighted in the narrative review of uncontrolled diabetes
among indigenous population of America

Diabetes in Indigenous
American population
 The occurrence rate of diabetes is comparatively higher among the
indigenous population in America than non-indigenous population
 Unmanaged diabetes increase the mortality and morbidity rate
among indigenous population especially Alaska Natives
 Gestational diabetes is higher among Eskimo women
 Type 2 diabetes is higher among the Aleut men
 Unmanaged diabetes is mostly popular among the indigenous
Mexican and Caribbean residing in the central and Southern part of
America [2]

Methods undertaken for literature
search
 Search of the literary articles through electronic
databases
 Databases used: Pubmed, CINHAL, Cochrane
and MedLine
Inclusion criteria Exclusion Criteria
Articles published after 2010 Articles published before 2010
Articles published centering
Indigenous Americans
Articles published other than English
Articles containing focus group:
Indigenous Americans
Articles containing focus group:
other than Indigenous Americans

Search Strategy
Keywords used
Disease type keyword Focus population
Diabetes Indigenous American
Population
OR OR
Type 2 Diabetes Native Americans
OR OR
Type 1 Diabetes Aboriginals Americans
OR
Diabetes Mellitus
Combination Boolean operator between disease type and
population: AND

Findings From the
Narrative Review

Diabetes in nonindigenous
population
Source: [3]

Life-style factors
 The main life style factors which increases the risk of
unmanaged diabetes among indigenous population are:
increased rate of smoking and alcohol consumption [2]
 Indigenous Americans like the Hispanic/Latino, Cuban,
Dominician, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Central American and South
American are more likely to smoke cigarettes [2]
 Native Americans tend to drink alcohol more than non-native
Americans [4]
 Increase in stress is a reason behind high alcohol consumption
and smoking of tobacco which make diabetes unmanageable [2]

Unhealthy Diet
 Indigenous Americans thrive on poor diet
 They mainly consume high fat and simple carbohydrate
rather than high fibre food or complex carbohydrate
 Poor work status is the reason behind poor diet
adherence which make diabetes uncontrollable [5]
 Lack of proper employment provides lack of proper
access of healthy diet like vegetables and fruits which
make diabetes unmanageable [5]

Increased Trends in
Obesity
 Indigenous Americans from Spanish origin are obese
genetically which increases the tendency of
developing diabetes at an uncontrollable rate [6]
 Latin Americans have high blood cholesterol level
which further increases the severity of diabetes [6]
 North American Natives suffer from childhood obesity
which increases susceptibility of T2DM which has no
cure [7]

Genetic factors
 Thirty genotype hypothesis is the most applicable genetic
factor under incontrollable diabetes among indigenous
Americans [8]
 This particular genotype make body resistant towards insulin
leading to development of T2DM which has no cure [8]
 Alaska Natives also has high genetic susceptibility of
developing diabetes.
 With increase in age, the severity of diabetes becomes
unmanageable in comparison to non-Hispanic white 2]

Lack of proper support
from government
 Lack of proper healthcare set up in the
rural regions of both southern and
northern part of America [8]
 Lack of proper medical insurance by the
government for management of diabetes
for the indigenous population [8]
 Lack of proper disease awareness [8]