It is important to note that diabetes is a serious chronic health issue, which requires a comprehensive understanding of its key underlying intricacies and specificities in order to be able to properly present the information in a presentation. Therefore, such a presentation should include psychosocial factors, biological factors, short-term effects, long-term effects, detection measures, vulnerable organs, and education-based preventative approaches.
One of the most overlooked aspects of diabetes includes psychosocial factors. Thus, the presentation is going to include the factors such as fear of social rejection, an embarrassment of the condition, and non-adherence to the restrictive and treatment measures. It is stated that “if the individuals with diabetes have not adapted to their condition or if they fear social rejection because of their condition, they may attempt to hide their diagnosis from others, ignoring dietary restrictions or engaging in activities outside their treatment plan” (Falvo & Holland, 2018, p. 270). In other words, there is a notion of non-acceptance and willful ignorance when it comes to diabetes and related lifestyle adjustments. Such a reluctance from individuals with the given condition needs to be known by medical professionals and specialists in order to improve health outcomes and adherence to the restrictions and recommendations.
Moreover, there are major biological factors involved with diabetes. These include vascular changes, such as peripheral vascular insufficiency, cerebrovascular accident, and myocardial infarction (Falvo & Holland, 2018). It is stated that such a poor circulation can result in a state where “even minor injuries are prone to become infected and may become so severely infected that amputation” (Falvo & Holland, 2018, p. 269). In addition to the given biological factors, complications can also affect the kidney and eyes, such as retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, and kidney failure (Falvo & Holland, 2018). Therefore, biological changes occur at many levels and systems, which are due to dysfunctional blood glucose regulation.
Both short-term and long-term measures are needed in order to prevent diabetes from becoming an even larger global epidemic since its growing at a rapid speed at the current stage. In short-term preventative measures, the approach is based on providing education on the seriousness of the conditions and their future complications. For non-diabetic people with possible risks of developing it and people with prediabetes, it is important to minimize the risk factors, such as sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and poor dietary choices (TED Institute, 2017).
For diabetic people, lifestyle changes also include adhering to the medications and treatment procedures in order to reduce negligence. In the case of long-term measures, systematic changes need to be introduced, such as informing the general public about the issues, its potential costs on healthcare, and global healthy lifestyle advocacy.
A rehabilitation counselor can educate people on the issue by revealing the facts about the diseases since the majority of the population are not aware of how severe the illness can become. It is important to address the psychosocial aspects of diabetes and the cost of non-adherence to the treatment. It is difficult to detect diabetes because it does not have visible symptoms on its own but rather acts as a gateway for the development of other more serious conditions, such as heart disease (TED Institute, 2017). The major organs affected by diabetes are the kidneys, heart, and eyes.
In conclusion, the presentation needs to include psychosocial factors, biological factors, complications, short-term effects, long-term effects, detection measures, vulnerable organs, and education-based preventative approaches.
References
Falvo, D., & Holland, B. E. (2018). Medical and psychosocial aspects of chronic illness and disability. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
TED Institute. (2017). The global rise of diabetes—and how to prevent it [Video]. TED. Web.