Challenges with Disability
- Submitted by: spimalock
- Views: 906
- Category: Other
- Date Submitted: 02/04/2011 05:33 PM
- Pages: 6
- Report this Essay
A person with a long term health condition may face many challenges in sticking to a treatment programme. Using diabetes as an example, discuss these challenges and the kind of health care support they may help a person to overcome them.
Around 4.26% of the UK’s population have been diagnosed as diabetic [Diabetes UK 2010] and this chronic disease presents many challenges to the people it effects.
Diabetes is a disorder in which the mechanism for converting glucose to energy no longer functions properly, or not at all thus leading to an abnormal high level of glucose in the blood, creating a vast multitude of complications. It is currently estimated that 10% of the NHS budget is spent on diabetes [Diabetes UK 2010]. Cultural, psychological and personal challenges attribute to the difficulties experienced by diabetics.
I intend to discuss each of these in turn and ascertain whether there are any schemes in place or any that could be introduced in the future to overcome these barriers.
One of the biggest difficulties especially with South Asian diabetics are the cultural constraints. A study carried out by Lawton et al,(K101) highlighted some of these issues. The study was carried out because it was found that South Asian residents in the UK were 4 times more likely to be affected by diabetes and also have a 40% higher mortality rate. [K101 resources p13] Obviously in the long term the NHS would seek to improve , so better care and self management would be beneficial to there finances.
In the study undertaken by Lawton et al it was found that whilst most of the South Asians interviewed had made slight changes to their diet ie by reducing their refined sugar intake to sweeteners, they were having difficulty with substituting some of their traditional food As one respondent quotes “Roti is our kind of food something us people cannot be without” [Respondant22] [K101 resources p15] . I feel it is quite difficult for people of this culture to move to...
Around 4.26% of the UK’s population have been diagnosed as diabetic [Diabetes UK 2010] and this chronic disease presents many challenges to the people it effects.
Diabetes is a disorder in which the mechanism for converting glucose to energy no longer functions properly, or not at all thus leading to an abnormal high level of glucose in the blood, creating a vast multitude of complications. It is currently estimated that 10% of the NHS budget is spent on diabetes [Diabetes UK 2010]. Cultural, psychological and personal challenges attribute to the difficulties experienced by diabetics.
I intend to discuss each of these in turn and ascertain whether there are any schemes in place or any that could be introduced in the future to overcome these barriers.
One of the biggest difficulties especially with South Asian diabetics are the cultural constraints. A study carried out by Lawton et al,(K101) highlighted some of these issues. The study was carried out because it was found that South Asian residents in the UK were 4 times more likely to be affected by diabetes and also have a 40% higher mortality rate. [K101 resources p13] Obviously in the long term the NHS would seek to improve , so better care and self management would be beneficial to there finances.
In the study undertaken by Lawton et al it was found that whilst most of the South Asians interviewed had made slight changes to their diet ie by reducing their refined sugar intake to sweeteners, they were having difficulty with substituting some of their traditional food As one respondent quotes “Roti is our kind of food something us people cannot be without” [Respondant22] [K101 resources p15] . I feel it is quite difficult for people of this culture to move to...