Background of the Study
Diabetes is a rapidly growing health condition that affects people all over the world. Diabetes often results in a functional decline in the other systems of the body. Part of the management of the disease includes protecting the body from cardiovascular, micro vascular and neuropathic complications such as optic damage and kidney failure. The treatment also prevents impairment of cognitive functions which lead to mental disorders such as depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder(GAD). More than 90% of the people living with diabetes also suffer from coexisting mental conditions.
Mental disorders impair the person’s ability to manage their diabetes without assistance. Older patients are most affected by this barrier. Poor management of diabetes leads to poor mental health and vice versa. Therefore, the cost of management goes up while the quality of life goes down. This study seeks to identify the link between glycemic control and certain mental health conditions. The study examines the executive function domain to determine which common mental conditions can co-occur with diabetes. The purpose of the study is related to the problem though it is more focused on one age group.
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Method of Study
Qualitative methods such as the measure of intensity and blood sugar screening were useful in answering the research question. The research was based on a past study that was conducted between 2009-2010. The author did not use a specific perspective to conduct the study. Instead, the study was conducted by combining interview-administered questionnaires in combination with the results of a hemoglobin test. Blood samples were collected by pricking a finger. Inclusion criteria included sample groups of over 60 years or older living with diabetes. Those excluded could not fill informed consent forms and suffer from end-stage renal failure.
The author cited a combination of qualitative and quantitative studies that contributed to the formulation of the study. Other sources used include literature on diabetes management as well as mental health care. Additional studies with similar end goals were also used and quoted in this study. Some of the references are relevant to the study despite the fact that they are past the 5year limit. This is because qualitative studies require all data gathered to build on a solid foundation of continuous improvement. The author did not evaluate or indicate the weaknesses of the available studies. The information from the literature review was conclusive and accurate enough to build a logical argument in support of the study. No framework was developed from the study findings.
Results of Study
The study found that older people or increased age together with the duration of diabetes were considerably associated with higher hemoglobin A1C levels. Consequently, it was observed that higher A1C values adversely affected executive function despite the other demographic factors. However, diabetic knowledge exhibited by the subjects and the duration a patient had lived with diabetes did not significantly affect the results. The results suggested that a better management of diabetes would cause a direct improvement in the mental health of all patients. This is a direct challenge to the nursing fraternity who have a more significant role to play in ensuring that medication adherence is increased to its maximum.
The findings of the study should serve as a guide to change the systemic approach to the management of diabetes. The management should then be adjusted to include mental health which will boost the patients’ ability to make self-management of diabetes more efficient. This would remove unnecessary pressure on outpatient care from the nurses. At the same time, the nurses would be able to equip the patients to be able to shift dependence from the hospital setting and make it a lifestyle change.
Ethical Considerations
The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board, and it was carried out at the Wake Forest University Health Sciences. The patients were sufficiently informed of all of the details of the study, and they gave their commitment by signing written informed consent forms. Those participants who disagreed with the details or were not willing to sign consent forms were excluded from the study at the initial stages.
Patient privacy was protected by limiting the information that was shared within the research team and the participants. The data collected was also classified into demographics to avoid identifying specific individuals. This included classifying according to gender, age, education level, ethnicity, marital status, diabetes knowledge and duration of diabetes. The ethical considerations considering the study were raised and addressed before the start of the study.
Conclusion
The thesis statement provided in this paper was not as congruent as it should have been. It was vague and broad in nature, and it did not answer the question what and why. It was not strongly worded, and it was long and too detailed. This study was useful in its correlation of mental health to diabetes management in older patients. It was mainly important in guiding the nurses to develop better adherence methods and more efficient ways to increase patient knowledge. The study also created another parameter to measure patient wellness.
The findings need to be incorporated into nursing practice by partnering with doctors to formulate additional testing parameters. That way, when the patient is in triage undergoing blood pressure, hemoglobin, eyesight, and heart checks, then they can also get a psychological evaluation. The relation of mental conditions such as depression and GAD to glucose levels was an eye opener in the management of both conditions.
