-
Essay / Behavioral Interventions to Improve Glycemic Control in African Americans With T2DM
Diabetes is a problem in the body that causes blood sugar levels to rise above average levels. Type 2 diabetes which manifests itself as a situation in which the body does not use insulin well and is the most common type of diabetes (Varanasi, 2012 p. 140). Type 1 diabetes is indicated by a condition in which the body's immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, thereby destroying the body's ability to produce or make insulin. Most of the effects of diabetes result from poor blood sugar control, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol (Varanasi, 2012 p. 140). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay From the article, it is inferred that diabetes has affected approximately 25.8 million people out of the total population of the United States and is considered the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. United States (Walker, 2013 p.401). Diabetes is a leading cause of kidney failure, heart disease and painful lower limb amputations. Recent research also indicates that diabetes can also cause blindness in adults and 90 percent of diseases caused by diabetes are classified as type 2 diabetes. Due to the prevalence and economic burden of diabetes, it is considered as the most difficult health obstacle of the 21st century (Walker, 2013 p.401). Although type 2 diabetes can affect all groups of people in terms of race and ethnicity. , ethnic minorities would be the most affected and exposed to high risks of complications and mortality. Among ethnic groups, the most vulnerable are non-Hispanic Blacks and Latinos residing in America. Once diagnosed, African Americans are 2.6 times more likely to develop end-stage renal disease and the risks of undergoing lower limb amputation are high. A report from researchers indicates that minority groups are more likely to have poor self-management and outcomes compared to non-Hispanic whites. This increases the disproportionate burden of diseases that already exist and adds disproportionate diabetes-related complications. African Americans in particular tend to experience worse outcomes, including glycemic control, compared to other minority groups and non-Hispanic Whites (Walker, 2013, p. 402). To improve glycemic control, lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and medication adherence are necessary. a necessity and have been proven to modify disease progression through improved glycemic control (Walker, 2013 p.402). Behavioral interventions are used to improve glycemic control and also to improve the quality of life of patients with type 2 diabetes. However, there is no clear understanding of behavioral interventions aimed at African Americans. For this reason, a literature review was conducted to examine findings in articles elaborating the effectiveness of behavioral interventions in improving glycemic control in African Americans (Walker, 2013 p.403). From the study, it was identified that behavioral interventions were effective in African Americans with type 2 diabetes based on the impact on glycemic control. The study showed that the aspect of problem solving was used to find solutions and positive problem solving skills