Essay Sample on Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

Introduction

The diabetes mellitus type 2, known merely as type 2 diabetes, is a chronic condition that affects the way metabolizes glucose, which is an essential source of fuel in the human body. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for diabetes, but the medication is manageable using a combination of lifestyle changes and diabetes medications. The signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes usually take years to manifest. But some of the common symptoms include increased hunger, increased thirst, abnormal weight loss, fatigue, increased urination frequency, blurred vision, and slow healing sores. Due to the demands of the modern lifestyle, the number of people being diagnosed with diabetes in increasing steadily. As a result, there is a need to have a formal case management program for the diabetic population that is coordinated by the nurses and other members of a multidisciplinary team.

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Type 2 diabetes is common among adults compared to children. The risk of contracting type 2 diabetes increases with age. It is worth noting that type 2 diabetes is also the most common type of diabetes. There are three possible causes of diabetes mellitus. The first possible cause is the body resisting the effects of insulin. Insulin is an important hormone produced in the pancreas that is responsible for regulating glucose levels in the body. The second possibility is that the body is not producing enough insulin to control sugar levels. The third cause is a combination of both the first and the second possible causes. Researchers have not been able to point out the exact factors that may cause the body to resist insulin or produce insufficient insulin. But so far, scientists have been able to point out a host of risk factors that they categorized into two groups that include lifestyle and genetic factors (Lyssenko et al., 2008). Lifestyle risk factors contain issues such as obesity, cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure. On the other hand, according to Lyssenko et al., (2008), the risk of diabetes almost doubles among those with a family history of diabetes. The DNA variants affect beta-cell function in the pancreas, possibly through effects on apoptosis, proliferation, and regeneration (Lyssenko et al., 2008). These are what health professionals refer to as genetic components of the disease.

The number of people infected with type 2 diabetes is at an all-time high. According to the CDC, type 2 diabetes makes up for up to 95 percent of all diabetes cases in the United States (CDC, 2018). The same institution indicates that as of 2017, 30.3 million Americans were living with diabetes (CDC, National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2017). That is roughly more than 9% of the total U.S population. However, one important fact note is that the adult population makes up for 30.2 million of that number. The problem is that approximately 7 percent of the adult population are unaware that they have diabetes. The massive number of people with the disease presents a host of different challenges that stem from social, economic and health factors. There is a need to have a special needs program in the form of case management to optimize health and independence that will address the diabetic population separately from other conditions.

A case management program is a six-step collaborative process that includes assessment, planning, facilitation, care coordination, evaluation, and advocacy for services and options to meet a group's or an individual's all-inclusive health needs using a range of different techniques that include communication, and use of available resources to promote quality healthcare that is cost effective. The current treatment structure for diabetes applies the one size fits all technique without factoring in the unique needs of individual groups. For example, data from the CDC indicates that of the total people with type 2 diabetes, those between age 45 to 64 make the most significant number at about 14 million (CDC, National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2017). But that number can be deceiving because those above the age of 65 are the most affected. Up to 25 percent of those above the age of 65 suffer from the disease (CDC, National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2017). Additionally, the needs assessment should extend beyond health factors such as nutrition to include basic needs such as clothing, toiletries, living situation, environment, income, and support system. Data from the CDC indicates that minority groups such as American Indians and African Americans are the ethnic groups that are most affected by Diabetes (CDC, National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2017). Medical professionals have noticed the need to have new treatment solutions for patients in need of case management. One example of current case management trends is what Rebecca Perez who is the director of product development for Fraser Imagineers and the Case Management Society of America, refers to as the Netflix model (Young, 2019). According to Rebecca, in the new trend of case management, the patient tells the practitioner what to do (Young, 2019).

Case management has several advantages in regards to healthcare costs, quality, and the patient's overall welfare. Case management models have been proved to have significant cost reductions for patients in general. For patients who have diabetes, the treatment cost for their condition is usually expensive; leading some to forego the treatment. In some cases the treatment cost increases the stress levels of the patients, hence worsening their conditions. Case management models could also improve the quality of care. A research study conducted by Cheng, Chang, Tsou, Chen, and Pai applied to case management model on cancer patients in Taiwan, and the results indicated reduced unplanned readmission rates (Chen et al., 2013). The same model could be applied to the diabetic population in America. Finally, case management allows for the nurse to understand the social aspect of the life of the patient hence enabling them to utilize it for treatment. Case management model gives the treatment process a human and personal touch that makes the patients feel human rather than another diabetic case. Such procedures improve their mental status.

Based on the research results from Chen et al., (2013), nurses should be the ones to apply case management plan of care. The case management model is more of a form of patient care rather than treatment plan. Of all professionals in the medical field, nurses are the ones best trained for patient care. They have been taught how to associate with patients and understand their needs adequately. Unlike other professionals, nurses have a good understanding of the patient's emotional needs. The primary purpose of the case management model is to ensure a patient's emotional status is given the same level of attention as his or her physical wellbeing. The nurses' social skills make them the best people for applying a case management plan.

Other members that should be included in the multidisciplinary team include social workers. Social workers are essential to the team because they offer a connection between the hospital and the community setting of the patient. There are also therapists who could help patients with counseling. High-stress levels are common among diabetes patients, and therapists could aid in stabilizing their mental status. Then there are the endocrinologists who have specialized in the endocrine hormonal system. Sugar management is one of the functions of the endocrine system hence making it central to the treatment plan for diabetes mellitus.

Conclusion

Type 2 diabetes is a growing concern for the modern population. Poor lifestyle choices that include inactive lifestyle and poor diet have contributed to the ever-increasing number of diabetes patients. Type 2 diabetes is the most prominent type of condition. As a result, there is a need for stakeholders in the medical field to come up with efficient ways to address the problem. Among the ways to solve the issue is case management which allows medical professionals to offer tailor-made solutions to the patients. Case management would be useful because they reduce the cost of treatment, improves the quality of treatment and improves the patients overall wellbeing. Nurses have specialized training in communication and social relations which makes them the best group to initiate case management plan.

References

CDC. (2017). National Diabetes Statistics Report. Atlanta: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

CDC. (2018, August 15). Type 2 Diabetes. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/type2.html

Chen, Y. C., Chang, Y. J., Tsou, Y. C., Chen, M. C., & Pai, Y. C. (2013). Effectiveness of nurse case management compared with usual care in cancer patients at a single medical center in Taiwan: a quasi-experimental study. BMC health services research, 13, 202. doi:10.1186/1472-6963-13-202

Lyssenko, V., Jonsson, A., Almgren, P., Pulizzi, N., Isomaa, B., Tuomi, T., ... & Groop, L. (2008). Clinical risk factors, DNA variants, and the development of type 2 diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine, 359(21), 2220-2232.

Young, M. (2019, April 1). Case Management Trends in 2019 Include Focus on Value and Pathways to Success. (J. Drachenberg, & J. Saffron, Editors) Retrieved from Relias Media: https://www.reliasmedia.com/articles/144094-case-management-trends-in-2019-include-focus-on-value-and-pathways-to-success