Native Americans and Diabetes Essay

Diabetes is a growing health concern within Aboriginal communities across Canada, it is a health concern that is often an underlying condition secondary to many other health issues and often goes undiagnosed or untreated. Many individuals within these communities choose to leave their diabetes untreated until it becomes life threatening and becomes too late to treat or control. According to Health Canada (2013), Aboriginal peoples who are living on reserves have a rate of diabetes that is three to five times higher as compared to Non-Aboriginal Canadians (Para. 1). The growing rate of diabetes is especially concerning amongst the Inuit communities, and is a growing concern; the rate of diabetes within this community is expected to steadily increase over the coming years from contributing factors such as lack of activity, poor nutrition and obesity (Health Canada, 2013). For these reasons alone it is important to raise awareness and educate these communities about diabetes and healthy lifestyle so that positive steps can be taken in order to maintain healthy living. Aboriginal peoples living in Canada have higher rates of diabetes as compared to non Aboriginal Canadians, and of the two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2, the latter is more prevalent in First Nations communities (Brooks, Darroch, & Giles, 2013). With diabetes uncontrolled, an individual can come across many health problems such as poor circulation, foot ulcers, and sometimes even amputation (American

Native Americans have the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Native Americans are 60% more likely to be obese and are over twice as likely to have diabetes than the general population. These numbers are even higher for Southwest Native Americans. But their diet is very similar to the rest of modern society. So why do Native Americans suffer these conditions at higher rates than the general population? The answer may be found in new research that is beginning to point to a genetic cause for these conditions. In a study by Peggy Halpern, Ph.D. for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, she found that historically Native Americans of the

The diabetes epidemic within this demographic is being combated via multiple channels by a host of characters. The federal government, for one, has been active in addressing this issue. The CDC currently works to reduce diabetes-related health disparities in Native American communities by funding and supporting national organizations to engage and collaborate with local partners in nearly twenty communities (CDC, 2014b). For instance, the CDC provides funding to the Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP), which works closely with communities in Louisiana, Michigan, and Kansas to create culturally appropriate and long-term diabetes interventions. One intervention in Kansas, the Better Health Cooking Skills Class, teaches community

American Indians are proportionally, a large ethnic demographic in the state of Oklahoma. In fact, we have the second highest population in the nation of American Indians. In Oklahoma, minorities as a whole have a higher incidence of heart disease. Of the minority groups, American Indians have one of the highest incidences of heart disease. For instance, African Americans and American Indians both had the highest death rate from cardiovascular disease. In the years 2010 through 2012 collectively, the

Inactive lifestyle, improper diet and lack of proper education regarding the health issues are the major causes of the diabetes gaining such popularity in the indigenous group. The introduction of western diet, more fatty and sugary meals, has replaced their traditional way of consumption of meal. Hunting for animals and berries was their primary way of collection of food, and it used to provide them with sufficient amount of exercise and needed nutrients, but now the amount of consumption of fatty and sugary food is very high (Ong, Carter, Vos, Kelaher & Anderson, 2014,

Right until about the year 2000 b.C., North Americans would only eat the wild food they could find. If we think about it, what did they eat? Did they all just eat the same things, and had the same ways of using food? Well, actually, Native Americans were divided all through the U.S. in five major parts: The Northeast, the South, Great Plains, Pacific Coast, and the desert of the Southwest. More people should know how and where foods they might be eating everyday could come from generations back. Depending on which part the tribes would be in, they had different rituals, dishes, traditions or the different foods in general that they ate, and what do we know? Maybe we have more things in common with them than what we actually thought.

Putting it All Together: Representing Indians America was once consumed by the myth of the “Vanishing Indians”. The myth has dominated so many individuals and has also perpetuated Americans’ imagination of Indians. Noble or ignoble, Indians had little hope for success and were viewed as forlorn and futile. The myth of the Indians “vanishing” occurred because of their evolutionary inferiority to the “White man”; however, in modern society, there are still people who believe there are no more “true” Indians, or that the Indian culture has been degraded to the limiting spaces of reservations. Even though Indians are not being portrayed as how they used to be, they have certainly not died off; alternately, they have acclimated

The health gap in diabetes between Indigenous people and non-Indigenous Australian, which is more likely three times among Indigenous, although the efforts of health care system.

One major factor that continues to affect Indigenous people today is the high rates of diseases that follow the community. History proves that the poorly built infrastructure along with the Europeans introduced foreign diseases on the reserves, has forced indigenous communities to face many incurable diseases. The diseases that were connected to the Indigenous communities were often described as being incurable, as the communities didn’t have the resources to find a cure. Today many believe that the Indigenous people no longer endure such horrible conditions. However, Indigenous people across Canada continue to face many unique health challenges. “They experience higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and many other diseases” (Kmetic 25). Despite seeing the continuous rates of diseases on the reserves the government of Canada has not made any attempts in improving the living

Obesity and diabetes are serious public health problems that have far reaching health and economic consequences. In the US, and the world over, obesity and diabetes have reached epidemic proportions (Acton, 2013). For instance, the annual medical costs for obesity in the US was approximately $145 billion as at 2008 while diabetes was established as the leading cause of death and affects roughly 23.6 million people across the nation (Health Profile I, 2015). In the city of Alexandria, obesity and diabetes are common with both posting numbers

Type II diabetics and its complications is one of the rising public health issues among the Canadian population especially the aboriginal communities of Canada. Aboriginal people are indigenousness people of Canada before the arrival of European explorers. The aboriginal people include three groups; the first nation, Inuit, and Métis with their own unique culture, history and spiritual practices (Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, 2014). According to the public health of Canada (2011), before 1940, diabetes among the Aboriginal population was rare but by 1950 the rate increased rapidly reaching epidemic levels in some communities with a prevalence of diabetes of 3 to 4 times higher than that of non-aboriginal communities. This may attribute to their non modifiable genetically predisposition and modifiable risk factors such as environmental, educational and socioeconomically (Ayach & Korda, 2010). To tackle and eliminate this health scare, the Government of Canada together with the Aboriginal people need to create supportive environment and policy to strengthen community action through education and developing personal skills.

Many do not understand the dangers and complications that Diabetics go through. Some people desire to touch bases on the subject; however they do not want to tell all the details of everything that goes on, due to it being a vast detailed subject. This research paper will acknowledge the unknown factors that many do not realize contribute to where diabetes can come from, who all can get diabetes, what it can do to your body and any other unspoken details that people could really benefit from. In the beginning of a child’s life, their parents do not always educate them on every aspect of diabetes or any other illnesses in this world. Although, overtime it should be essential for child to know about the dangers of obesity, diabetes, eating healthy and so much more.

After examining the literature review within Oster et al. (2014), both strengths and weaknesses were observed. Quantitative research was used to explain the inherent difference in health status among First Nations and non-First Nations populations. A measured decrease in the age of diabetes diagnosis and higher fertility rates among First Nations individuals (Oster et al., 2014) alluded to the urgency of exploring effective care options for pregnant Aboriginal women with diabetes in order to mitigate the growing “epidemic” (p. 1469). The qualitative studies used were also significant as they identified a disconnect between traditional and Western views to be explored and bridged in attempt to deliver effective Type two diabetes health care to First Nations people (Oster et al, 2014). Referencing quantitative and qualitative studies to demonstrate the importance of identifying culturally appropriate Type two diabetes care for First Nations women who are pregnant could be seen as a major strength of the

Approximately 1/3 of Native Americans live in poverty and experience the conditions related to poor living conditions such as tuberculosis, malnourishment, and higher maternal and infant death rates (Allender, Rector, & Warner, 2014). Some of the common highest ranking health problems seen in Native American children are SIDS, congenital anomalies, obesity, type II diabetes, and morbidity and mortality related to injuries (Allender et al., 2014). Poor hygiene, packed housing conditions, and low immunization leads to the incidence of a variety of contagious diseases in Native Americans (Allender et al., 2014). Native Americans prefer customary healing and folk medicines compared to the Western medicine; they use plants and herbs to cure illnesses (Allender et al., 2014).

Weight reduction is recommended, reduces blood pressure, encourage physical activity per week. Dietary understanding - Include low-fat dairy products, encourage high-fiber, Continuing telephone support.