Diabetes Assignment

Type 1 diabetes is known to be one of the most universal chronic childhood disorders (Dorman et al. 1995) and analyses of trends internationally and nationally exhibits a rise in the incidence of children with diabetes, predominantly in those less than five years of ages. If type one diabetes is untreated, it will lead rise to acid-base and severe fluid disturbances which will inevitably lead to vomiting, coma, dehydration and death. Management of this chronic condition involves the use of insulin injections at minimum twice a day, also blood glucose monitoring approximately four times a day and regular carbohydrate containing meals and exercise. Poor glycaemia control is recognized to augment the risks of life threatening complications in later stages of life.

Due to the fact that the majority of patients provide 95% of daily diabetes care themselves, rather than the direct efforts of health care professionals successful diabetes management is dependant mainly on the patients self-management (Funnell & Anderson, 2000). As a result, cultivating diabetes self-management plays a vital role in controlling any sequelae and redundant complications of diabetes. Self-management in diabetes, however, is a intricate undertaking that needs to be incorporated into the patient’s daily life. Successful incorporation will require the patient to control this chronic illness in the context of health issues, family demands, goals, personal concerns and priorities which make up their livelihood (Anderson & Robins, 1998). As patients observe and monitor their diet, stress, medications and physical activity, diabetic patients make daily decisions concerning their illness. Suitable alteration of blood glucose levels is often associated with stringent self-regulation efforts and behavioural change. (Gonder-Frederick, Cox, & Ritterband, 2002; Hill-Briggs, 2003; Petrie, Broadbent, & Meechan, 2003). Additionally, a struggle for many patients managing diabetes can be...