Asian Americans Newly Diagnosed for Type 2 Diabetes Research Paper

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Introduction

Diabetes mellitus represents a chronic ailment impacting the way the human body converts food consumed into energy. The major portion of consumed food breaks down into glucose and gets discharged into the bloodstream. The human pancreas secretes the hormone, insulin, that helps employ cell blood sugar as energy. Three forms of diabetes have been identified, namely, gestational, type 1, and type 2 diabetes. In the latter, the patient’s body is ineffective in utilizing insulin, thus incapable of maintaining normal blood sugar levels. Ninety percent of diabetes patients suffer from this form of the disease. Its onset may be postponed or even altogether avoided if one adopts a healthful lifestyle (for instance, routine physical exercise, eating nutritious foods, and weight loss) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2017).

Population

Diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2D) has been found to be highly prevalent among Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and non-Hispanic Black Americans. But the nation’s swiftest growing ethnic/racial minority – Asian Americans – are also being diagnosed with the disease at a disturbing rate. This sub-population’s supposed low disease burden, self-sufficiency and education are impeding healthcare services directed at it. This myth has largely been kept alive due to the absence of dependable data which typically grouped all Asian Americans as a single, homogenous category, instead of a heterogeneous one. The problem proves especially significant when studying T2D prevalence in this subgroup. In the year 2014, for instance, the CDC reported a nine percent age-adjusted T2D prevalence for the Asian-American population, overall. The above rate is higher as compared to that for White non-Hispanic Americans (7.6 percent), though lower as compared to the Native-American (15.9 percent), non-Hispanic Black-American (13.2 percent), and Hispanic American (12.8 percent) populations, thus portraying Asian Americans as a “moderate risk” population. A study of disaggregated information for Asian-American ethnic subgroups reveals differences in disease burdens (Nguyen et al., 215).

Intervention

One major issue linked to diabetes among Asian-Americans is population awareness. A decade earlier, this group exhibited rather low diabetes prevalence.

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However, currently, educating the subpopulation on this ailment’s seriousness is imperative. Unlike other ethnic groups, Body Mass Index (BMI) isn’t always applicable to disease risk for this group, thus posing another challenge. Most diabetes therapies support lifestyle modifications with researchers revealing ample exercise and proper diet aids diabetes management and prevention, and postpones onset. The standard low-fat, high-complex carb, and high-fiber Asian diet, besides physical activity, may facilitate T2D prevention and management.

Comparison

Group education and self-management initiatives are recommended for Asian-Americans diabetics, having proven positive patient results. However, scant evidence exists of these interventions’ efficacy in case of other minority ethnic groups. Cultural tailoring represents an idea which employs a grasp of the impact of cultural traits on health behavior for formulating an effective initiative. Nam et al.’s RCT (randomized controlled trial) meta-analysis revealed culturally-adapted diabetes education improved glycemic control more than ordinary care for diabetics from ethnic minority populations. Very few research scholars have looked into culturally-adapted diabetes education and self-management initiatives’ efficacy in case of Chinese diabetics (Sun et al., 2012).

Diabetes’ effect goes beyond mere physical wellbeing. It also adversely influences a patient’s quality of life (QOL), social and familial relations, and routine lifestyle (exercise, meal planning, stress management, etc.). Diabetes management and patient living experiences are influenced by familial dynamics, acculturation, and cultural traditions and views. Academicians from China determined numerous culturally-informed diabetes and diabetes management related ideas apparent only in Chinese patients. An interview of Chinese migrant diabetics and their significant other revealed links between diabetes and Chinese cultural beliefs regarding cold-hot balance, as well as the problem associated with diet modifications owing to Chinese views on food and the pivotal role it plays in societal relations and QOL. Further, Chinese diabetes management necessitates accommodations by every member of the patient’s family. Existing studies indicate Chinese migrant patient orientation towards successful diabetes management….....

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