DIABETES

Diabetes a Southern Killer

Diabetes a Southern Killer

Community

Greenwood, South Carolina is one of the beautiful cities in America. According to the 2000 census, its population is around 22,000. (Greenwood, South Carolina) City is governed via a mayor-council system. There is also a Greenwood County Library that may expand further. Greenwood county airport and railway system are providing bunch of facilities to the people of Greenwood. Hospitals and schools are playing a vital role in the development and care of the locals. Apart from facilities and luxuries, diabetes has become a severe problem within the community. Diabetes is a major public health problem in Greenwood. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States (Porte, Sherwin & Baron, 2003). In Greenwood, the consequences of diabetes are severe. Diabetes is associated with heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, nontraumatic amputations, and nerve damage.

Problem

Type I diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) is the most common endocrinology disorder, with onset typically occurring in Greenwood. It is thought to be an autoimmune disorder that results in pancreatic beta cell destruction and the eventual loss of all insulin production. Insulin regulates blood levels of the sugar glucose and allows glucose to enter cells from the bloodstream, where it is absorbed and used as energy. Patients with type I diabetes must administer exogenous insulin daily in order to maintain normal blood glucose levels. In type II diabetes (non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus), insulin continues to be produced, but it is either produced in insufficient amounts to maintain normal blood glucose levels, or there is insulin resistance, and the body does not properly utilize insulin.

Approximately 5% to 10% of citizens of Greenwood with diabetes are diagnosed with type I diabetes, which occurs in approximately 1 in 50 to 60 children in the Greenwood and in the range of 0.6 to 2.5 in 1,000 children worldwide. The disease appears to occur equally in females and males, with peak onset of the disease typically around puberty, although it can be diagnosed through middle adulthood. Type I diabetes appears to occur in individuals with a genetic predisposition (Porte, Sherwin & Baron, 2003), accompanied by an environmental stressor.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), presenting symptoms at the time of diagnosis of type I diabetes include polyuria (increased urination), polydipsia (excessive or abnormal thirst), weight loss accompanied by dehydration as well as glucose levels of over 126 mg/dl (i.e., milligrams of glucose ...