A medical worker is to serve as an example of a healthy and responsible lifestyle to the patients. That is why it is highly important that a registered nurse knows how to apply self-care and health promotion actions at the personal level before encouraging the same activities for the patients. In this paper, I will explore diabetes, a potential health risk I face due to a variety of factors.
Identification of a Personal Health Risk
The health risk that I undergo on a daily basis is diabetes, a serious chronic disease that may lead to a variety of problems due to the high glucose level in the blood that has a direct adverse effect on blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, heart, and nervous system (Diabetes Self-Care Booklet, 2013). Diabetes is a condition that cannot be reversed once the diagnosis is final. Its various levels of severity may make individuals unsuitable for different types of work, affect their personal lives, and cause premature death. However, this condition can be taken under control and prevented with the help of a responsible and healthy lifestyle.
I am under the risk of developing diabetes at some point in my life due to my family history, as my grandmother was diagnosed with this condition at the age of 72 which she is currently taking under control. Also, her cousin was diagnosed with a severe form of diabetes at the age of 60. That way, I may be genetically predisposed to diabetes. Another risk factor for this condition is determined by race and ethnicity. As mentioned by the UF Student Healthcare Center (2016), the individuals of Latino and Hispanic background are among the communities that are under a higher risk along with African-Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans.
Information and Statistics about the Condition
As reported by the American Diabetes Association (2014), in 2010, diabetes was recognized as the cause of death ranked seventh in the United States. In 2012, the prevalence of this disease reached above 29 million people all over the country, which comprised over 9% of its population (American Diabetes Association, 2014). These days, the United States is facing a rapid increase in the prevalence of this condition on a regular basis. The number of individuals diagnosed with diabetes continues to grow by about one and a half million people annually.
Also, millions of people deal with diabetes without being diagnosed. The rates of the disease are the highest among the senior population of the United States; however, hundreds of thousands of young people (under the age of 20) are also diagnosed (American Diabetes Association, 2014). Sorted by ethnicity within the diverse American communities, diabetes shows the highest prevalence among the Native American population while Hispanic and Latino communities have the third highest percentage.
Risk Factors
Apart from genetic predisposition, there are a number of other factors contributing to the development of diabetes in the individuals whose families have not been affected by the condition in the past. Among the most powerful risk factors, there are excessive body weight (BMI over 25), lack of physical activity, and unhealthy diet (high consumption of fatty and sugary foods) (CDC, 2014).
Prevention and Self-Care Plan
Evidence indicates that diabetes can be prevented with the help of commitment and a lifestyle change (DePalma, Trahan, Eliza, & Wagner, 2015). The primary element of the self-care plan for an individual predisposed to diabetes involves undergoing the initial assessment such as a blood test that will help to establish the current condition (Diabetes Self-Care Booklet, 2013). Based on the results of the bloodwork, I plan to adjust my lifestyle. In case if my blood glucose level is higher than normal, I would undertake the measures aimed at its optimization such as the regulation of my diet, management of my body weight using exercise but not food deprivation.
Additionally, there are some practices that can be applied on a daily basis that would improve my diet and make it healthier. These practices involve the exclusion of soft drinks which are quite common in my diet, and the limited consumption of fast food. At the same time, I plan to add more vegetables to my diet that would replace fried and fatty meals. Moreover, as mentioned by Kuvaja-Köllner, Steffansson, and Kettunen (2013), regular testing and checkups with feedback from a medical professional are extremely useful as a method of lifestyle management for the individual affected by or under a risk of diabetes. That is why I plan to measure my blood glucose once a day for a month in order to determine how the food I consume affects it. Finally, I plan to increase the level of physical activity and start doing yoga and long walks on a daily basis.
Conclusion
My health risk is rather serious, but it is manageable. Diabetes prevention plan would help me reduce the likeliness of developing this dangerous disease and also make me a healthier individual in general. This self-care plan is rather useful for the prevention of a variety of potential and existing conditions and will address the other health threats to which I may be exposed without realizing it.
References
American Diabetes Association. (2014). Statistics about Diabetes.
CDC. (2014). National Diabetes Statistics Report 2014. Web.
DePalma, M. T., Trahan, L. H., Eliza, J. M., & Wagner, A. E. (2015). The Relationship between Diabetes Self-efficacy and Diabetes Self-care in American Indians and Alaska Natives. American Indian & Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 22(2):1-22. Web.
Diabetes Self-Care Booklet. (2013).
Kuvaja-Köllner, V., Steffansson, M., & Kettunen, A. (2013). Information and Communications Technology-Supported Diabetes Prevention and Self-Care Management: Experiences from the EMOTIONAAL Project in Finland. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, 7(1): 287–288.
UF Student Healthcare Center. (2016). Patient Education: Diabetes, Prevention.