The health condition I have chosen to focus on is diabetes. The reason I chose this health condition is because it is one of the health conditions that run in my family on both my maternal and paternal side. Growing up I watched my older cousin and my father battle diabetes their entire lives. Throughout my childhood, I would notice how diabetes really takes a toll on both their bodies and minds. The effect this health condition had on both their mind and body would prevent them from living their normal lives, such as functioning normally and being there for their children. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Diabetes is a disease that affects your body when your body is unable to produce or use the hormone insulin properly. Diabetes causes excessive accumulation of sugar in the blood. When dealing with diabetes, there are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes usually occurs when the body is unable to produce insulin. Type 1 diabetes is sometimes called juvenile diabetes because it is usually discovered only in children and adolescents. Juvenile diabetes can sometimes be found in adults too, but the chances are very rare. Type 2 occurs when the body is unable to produce enough peptide hormone or is unable to use insulin as it should. When diabetes was first discovered, doctors thought that type 2 could only be found in adults. However, over the years, type 2 diabetes has recently been found in children as well. According to doctors, type 2 diabetes was recently discovered in children because many children are overweight and less likely to be physically active at a young age. In type 1 diabetes, the body tends not to produce peptide hormone due to the attack of the immune system. and destroying the cells found in the pancreas that create insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the body tends to turn most of the food a person eats into sugar. This causes insulin to allow sugar to enter all the cells in the body. Type 2 causes the body to use insulin improperly causing sugar to build up in the blood instead of moving into the cells. When your body produces too much sugar, it can cause serious damage to your blood vessels, nerves, eyes, heart, and kidneys. When I conducted my research on this diabetes and the impact it can have on one's body, I discovered that this disease can be a chronic disease. I found out that diabetes is a chronic disease because over time diabetes leads to other complications such as cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, kidney damage, eye damage, foot damage, skin disease, hearing impairment, Alzheimer's disease and depression. The long-term health complications of diabetes tend to develop gradually over time. Doctors have discovered over time that the longer a person has diabetes and the less control they have over their blood sugar, it can lead to greater risks of health complications. Once the risks of complications occur, this can make a person disabled or have life-threatening problems. This disease can be progressive and fatal; it all depends on how soon a person receives treatment and how well they manage their condition. Sometimes it also depends on how the body responds to the treatment. Diabetes affects each individual differently in most cases; it is difficult to know how the disease will affect youthe person's body and life expectancy. For an example; a person who does not manage their sugar levels or exercise likely has a short life expectancy compared to a person who monitors their glucose level or is active daily. If the disease is detected at an early stage and treated immediately, many people can live as normal and long lives as those without diabetes. Chronic conditions such as nerve damage or gastroparesis can progress if diabetes is left undiagnosed or untreated. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease that could lead to death. This could cause diabetes to die due to failure to diagnose or properly manage. This disease could also lead to previously mentioned complications such as dialysis, eye damage which can increase the risk of heart disease or stroke. According to doctors, there is no cure for diabetes, but it can be controlled or managed. Diabetes affects each person differently, which means symptoms vary from person to person. In the early stages of diabetes some people may have very few symptoms and may not even be aware they have the disease. Symptoms of diabetes usually cause a change in appetite, weight, vision and skin. The most common symptoms are usually extreme thirst/hunger, frequent urination, drowsiness, or bruises/sores on the body. Some may also experience frequent skin, gum, bladder, or vaginal yeast infections. Some people may also experience dry/itchy skin and tingling/numbness in their hands or feet. Those diagnosed with type 2 may also experience signs of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance includes darkening of the skin around the neck or armpits, high blood pressure, and cholesterol problems. Some women may experience frequent yeast infections and missed/absent periods. Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes can also include symptoms of nausea, rapid breathing, and uncoordinated muscle movement. As I stated before, diabetes cannot be cured, but it can be manageable and controlled depending on how the body reacts to treatment. The main goal when it comes to treating or controlling diabetes is to control your blood sugar level. A person can control their blood sugar level by exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and taking oral medications or insulin. When it comes to tracking one's weight, a person's diet should include plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. During the diet phase, you need to make sure you eat around three meals a day at around the same time each day to keep your insulin and sugar levels steady. Diabetes treatment also involves exercise to help the body use insulin and lower blood sugar levels. Exercise helps diabetics control their weight, produces more energy, and helps the person stay mentally strong. Exercise helps your heart stay healthy, maintain a steady cholesterol level, and maintain a manageable weight. These factors can also influence the risk of heart attack and stroke. Maintaining a healthy weight can help insulin work better and lower blood pressure. Taking medications is a last resort if diabetes cannot be controlled with diet, exercise, and weight control. Oral medicine can cause your body to produce more peptide hormones. The medicine also helps the body use insulin to become more efficient. Some people's medical treatment also involves adding insulin to the body with insulin-like substances such as pumpsinsulin, insulin injections or insulin pens. However, oral medicine doesn't work for everyone; it is not effective in treating type 1 diabetes. Treatment also requires your doctor to check your blood sugar level every three months with an A1C test. An A1C test involves pricking your fingertip to draw blood and inserting a test strip into the blood to get the results. Diabetic people may often feel tired, as if they are about to pass out or lose consciousness, which often means their blood sugar level is low. During the initial stage, these symptoms can be treated by taking sweets, fruit juice, milk or raisins to raise blood sugar more quickly. A diabetic person should always keep these types of items or supplies on hand in case of an emergency. When working with patients with diabetes and their families, a healthcare social worker should be aware of the personal and emotional side of patients in order to work effectively. with this population. Health social workers may be able to help find appropriate resources to help the patient with their medical or financial needs. Social workers need to be aware that the patient needs help dealing with many concerns related to diabetes or problems within families and help dealing with work situations. A social worker must also be aware of the symptoms that diabetes can manifest in patients and the amount of damage that diabetes can cause to a person's body. It may also be helpful to have a little idea of ​​how to help manage the person's diabetes. A health social worker must also be aware and prepared to play different roles as educators, resource brokers, and counselors to help address the essential influences of diabetes. check. Diabetes patients need to connect to medications or insurance to help them manage their diabetes. Social workers should be aware that these patients also need to connect to home health services. It is best for social workers to be educated about diabetes and patients' life expectancy. When dealing with this population, it is important to know the background so that the social worker can relate or at least have some knowledge of what the patient may be going through while battling diabetes. It is also important for social workers to address or counsel patients about their daily stress, work-related stressors, or even addictions. Social workers should be aware of links that may be linked to patients with diabetes such as depression or substance abuse. A social worker must be able to pay attention to the connection between depression and diabetes because in most cases a diabetic person's depression goes unnoticed due to trying to find resources to manage the health conditions that diabetes can cause. When dealing with a diabetic patient, it can often be time-consuming trying to connect the patient to available resources in the community. A social worker should be aware of the time it takes to help patients with diabetes. At the micro-practice level, a social worker can work effectively with patients with diabetes and their families by working as an educator. It is important to educate a person who has just been diagnosed with diabetes and also their families because most people do not know how important it is to monitor and manage their blood sugar levels. Educate both.