INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS AND DIABETES

Indigenous Australians and diabetes

Indigenous Australians And Diabetes

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that is characterized as a group of metabolic disorders. The disease is indicated when there is extremely high blood glucose level, termed as hyperglycemia. This glucose level, if not controlled, can cause damage to the blood vessels and various organs of the body. The prevalence of the disease is high, and no complete cure is available till now. As a report states, more than one million Australians are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus every year (Heart And Diabetes Institute, Diabetes Australia, p.3, 2012). The ranking of Australia is seventh amongst all the countries in terms of incidence and frequency of occurrence. The alarming part is the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the aboriginal community, which, as the reports estimates, is at the crisis point (Diabetes Australia, p.1, 2013). This job has taken the high prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Torres Strait Islanders, which is an indigenous community, as its prime focus. The assignment also discusses the role of a professional nurse and other health care workers in the process implemented to control the epidemics and improve the quality of life in this community.

Discussion

Torres Strait Islanders refers to the indigenous people of Torres Strait Islands, Queensland. As the researches indicate, the Torres Strait Islanders ranks 4th in the community that indicates extremely high prevalence of diabetes mellitus (Australian Social Trends, 2007). The medical practitioners have indicated that there are two significant factors that increase the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in indigenous Australians. These factors are the genetic predisposition and an unhealthy lifestyle.

Part A

Impact on the Individual

Diabetes mellitus is not merely a disease, but, a disorder that exerts a high influence on an individual's life. As stated by the Australian diabetes council, the risk of diabetes is ten folds more in the indigenous population as compared to the other Australians. Considering this indigenous people of the Torres Strait Islands, this impact can be given as follows:

Psychological Impact

Diabetes mellitus affects the psychological well being of a patient (Bener, Ghuloum, et.al, pp.123, 2012), by demanding the changes in lifestyle and strict management and control of factors that might lead to complications (Young, Unachukwu, 2012). The indigenous population is considered as the isolated population in which the prevalence is found to be relatively high. The higher cost of treatment and the compromised quality of life can cause severe psychological distress in these individuals (Heart And Diabetes Institute, Diabetes Australia, p.3-40, 2012). Other psychological problems observed in such individuals are stress, anxiety, and hopelessness regarding the management of their disease. These factors are not only responsible to cause further aggravation of the condition, but some psychological elements, lie stress, can elicit the disorder in patients at risk (Trovato, Catalano, et.al, p.69, 2006). A report by Australian institute of health and welfare states, the psychological distress is more significant in patient with diabetes as compared to those without diabetes mellitus (2010). The occurrence also depends on the age and sex of the ...