Indigenous Australian and Diabetes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Indigenous Australian and Diabetes - Essay Example As such, Aborigines health is very poor compared to other Australians. Statistics indicate that only about forty percent of Aborigines are in good health compared to more than 80% of other Australians. This affects the mortality rate of these people, which is more than two times the non-indigenous Australians. Poor healthcare to Aborigines and their lifestyles increase chances of getting chronic diseases like diabetes. Diabetes is one of the diseases that has increased Aborigine mortality rate in the recent years. There are few clinics and healthcare centers in regions where aborigines live and their diet is also poor. At the same time, many cannot afford medication. More than 30% of the entire Aborigine population has diabetes. In addition, the government has been doing little to Aborigine health. Less than one percent of the national budget was used on Aborigine health. This is little money and may not have a high impact on the Aborigine health. Health experts and civil rights have lobbied the government to invest more in Aborigine healthcare. This paper will discuss Australian Indigenous Health, specifically diabetes, the current trends, why Aborigines are affected more than Non-Aboriginal Australians, strategies used to mitigate Diabetes and what can be done to improve the current intervention measures and strategies. Epidemiology Diabetes is one of the most common chronic conditions in the world today. The disease is as a result of low production of insulin which is responsible for regulating blood sugar in the body. Diabetes is characterized by high levels of blood sugar and can adversely affect the general health of the patient. The condition makes the body weak making the patient susceptible to opportunistic conditions, which can even lead to death. There are two common types of Diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is caused an autoimmune disease of the beta cells of the pancreas. These cells are responsible for the production of insulin, which regulates blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes is most common in young people and accounts for 5 to 10% of the total diabetes patients. Type 2 diabetes is caused by health factors that have suppressing factors on the pancreas. Excess fats make it almost impossible for the beta cells to produce insulin and regulate body sugar. In fact, more than 75% of people having type 2 diabetes are either overweight or obese. Type 2 is common in adults and accounts for 90 to 95% of all diabetic patients (Hawley and Dunstan, 2008). There is no cure for either of the two types of diabetes, but research and experiments are underway to find a cure. Currently, diabetes is management is done to mitigate the risks that are associated these conditions for example (Thomas and Nestel, 2007). Type 1 diabetes patients have to live on insulin shots. They inject insulin on their hands every day according to the physician instructions. Type 2 diabetes patients are advised to exercise to lose weight and cut fats in the body. They can also use pills if the former strategy does not work. Diabetes patients have to eat healthy and exercise often to mitigate the effects of the condition (Speight, 2013). Prevalence of diabetes in Australia is relatively high, currently ranked the fifth country. Diabetes is common among the elderly people. There is a higher prevalence of diabetes to Aborigines in Australia compared to non-Aborigines. According to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare,