The Role and Value of Ongoing and Peer Support in Diabetes Care and Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 569-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hope Warshaw ◽  
Lisa Hodgson ◽  
Mark Heyman ◽  
Tamara K. Oser ◽  
Heather R. Walker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Diabetes Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Ongoing Support

Purpose Increasing attention is being given to the challenges and emotional toll of managing diabetes. This Perspectives in Practice details the specialty’s guiding documents for initial and ongoing support. It also defines various types of social support, including peer support, for optimal diabetes care. Focusing on peer support, this paper provides a review of the body of evidence demonstrating the value of peer support to improve clinical and behavioral outcomes. To achieve positive outcomes, it is optimal for people with diabetes to have access to ongoing support from their health care provider, including diabetes care and education specialists. They should also be made aware of, and given referral to options and opportunities for peer support. This Perspectives in Practice concludes with a call to action for diabetes care and education specialists to deliver to integrate and promote the value of peer support in the care they provide. Conclusion Managing diabetes during the stages and ages of life is chronically challenging and complex. Various types of support offered by health care providers, including diabetes care and education specialists and others in the person’s social support milieu, can positively affect emotional well-being. Health care providers should routinely assess their client’s social supports and refer the person with diabetes and/or their caregivers to evidence-based types of peer support mutually determined to be of most value. Diabetes care and education specialists should increase their awareness of opportunities to integrate the value of and referral to peer support in their counseling and to gain greater insight into the diabetes-lived experience.

scholarly journals PREVENTION OVERWEIGHT OF POPULATION UNDER QUARANTINE RESTRICTIONS DURING A PANDEMIC

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (3) ◽  
pp. 20-26
Author(s):  
Antonina Minenok ◽  
Tetiana Kiiko ◽  
Ihor Donets
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Current System ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Health Care Market ◽  
Care Providers

The article highlights the negative trends of deteriorating health of the population in our country, which requires a responsible attitude of society and the state to strengthen and preserve the health. It becomes necessary to identify new approaches and develop programs of problems solving in the field of public health, because the current system of health care in Ukraine does not actually provide a preventive component, as it is stated in the Concept of Public Health System Development. It is noted that among a number of dangerous diseases and other important health problems, the problem of overweight remains relevant for all age groups and has no boundaries. One of the causes of overweight and obesity is the disturbance of the energy balance between the calories consumed and the calories expended, that is, excessive consumption of high-calorie foods and low levels of physical activity, especially during a pandemic. Ensuring the health and well-being of people is one of the most important goals of the world community, reflected in the basis of European policy. The achievement of European standards of quality of life and well-being of the population is one of the main tasks defined by the Strategy for Sustainable Development «Ukraine–2020». The main directions of reforms should be to increase the personal responsibility of citizens for their own health, ensuring their free choice of health-care providers of appropriate quality, the provision of targeted assistance to the most vulnerable segments of the population, and the creation of a business-friendly environment in the health-care market. Theoretical studies on the choice of efficient methods for studying overweight suggest that scientists have proposed dozens of different approaches, including both simple measurements and the most modern and expensive. But the the definition of the body mass index (BMI) remains the most convenient. This index is more closely related to the fat content of the human body than other anthropometric body mass-to-height ratios, and is therefore widely used in clinical practice. The dynamics have been investigated and important questions of preventive action on overweight and obesity have been pointed out, the reasons for the increase of the respondent body weight have been indicated, and recommendations have been made for the preservation of individual health in the context of a pandemic.

Commentary on “Diabetes and people with learning disabilities: issues for policy, practice and education”

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianne Redquest ◽  
Yona Lunsky
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Diabetes Care ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Family Carers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policy Practice

Purpose There has been an increase in research exploring the area of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and diabetes. Despite being described as instrumental to diabetes care for people with IDD, the role and experiences of family carers, such as parents and siblings, are often neglected in this research. However, it is clear that family carers do not feel that they have sufficient knowledge about diabetes. The purpose of this commentary is to extend the content from “Diabetes and people with learning disabilities: Issues for policy, practice, and education (Maine et al., 2020)” and discuss how family carers can feel better supported when caring for someone with IDD and diabetes. Design/methodology/approach This commentary discusses specific efforts such as STOP diabetes, DESMOND-ID and OK-diabetes for people with IDD including family carers. Encouragement is given for health care providers to recommend such programmes to people with IDD and their family carers. It is also suggested that health care providers involve family carers in diabetes care planning and implementation for people with IDD. Findings It is hoped that if changes are made to current diabetes practices and more research with family carers is conducted, diabetes prevention and management for people with IDD will be more successful and family carers can feel more confident in providing support to their loved ones. Originality/value Research exploring the role of family carers in diabetes care for people with IDD and diabetes is very limited. This commentary makes recommendations to help family carers feel better supported in their role. It also provides areas for future research.

scholarly journals Depression and Suicidality in Gay Men: Implications for Health Care Providers

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 910-919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carrie Lee ◽  
John L. Oliffe ◽  
Mary T. Kelly ◽  
Olivier Ferlatte
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sexual Practices ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression

Gay men are a subgroup vulnerable to depression and suicidality. The prevalence of depression among gay men is three times higher than the general adult population. Because depression is a known risk factor for suicide, gay men are also at high risk for suicidality. Despite the high prevalence of depression and suicidality, health researchers and health care providers have tended to focus on sexual health issues, most often human immunodeficiency virus in gay men. Related to this, gay men’s health has often been defined by sexual practices, and poorly understood are the intersections of gay men’s physical and mental health with social determinants of health including ethnicity, locale, education level, and socioeconomic status. In the current article summated is literature addressing risk factors for depression and suicidality among gay men including family acceptance of their sexual identities, social cohesion and belonging, internalized stigma, and victimization. Barriers to gay men’s help seeking are also discussed in detailing how health care providers might advance the well-being of this underserved subgroup by effectively addressing depression and suicidality.

Creating Comics to Address Well-Being and Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 152483992110654
Author(s):  
Kathryn West ◽  
Karen R. Jackson ◽  
Tobias L. Spears ◽  
Brian Callender
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Narrative Medicine ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Graphic Medicine ◽  
Racial Injustice ◽  
Pilot Implementation

In this descriptive case series, we detail the theoretical basis, methodology, and impact of a small-scale pilot implementation of graphic medicine workshops as an innovative approach to well-being and resilience in the age of COVID-19 and increasing awareness of racial injustice. The data provided in this article are anecdotal and based on participation in the workshops. Images created during the workshops are also shared as examples of the types of reflection that graphic medicine can enable. The workshops themselves were designed collaboratively and are based on the theoretical principles of graphic medicine, narrative medicine, and racial and social justice. They were conducted as part of a larger wellness initiative and were offered to health care-focused faculty at our academic medical institution. Our findings suggest that this was a beneficial activity which helped participants to reflect and reconsider their experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic and surging awareness of racial injustice. Reflections also showed that drawings were correlated with ProQOL scores and may, in larger numbers, also help to mitigate or bring attention to issues of burnout in frontline providers. Drawings shared show the tremendous impact of COVID-19 and the simultaneous chaos and emptiness of practicing during dual pandemics. Our workshops engaged about 20 frontline health care providers and other health care faculty and highlight the utility of graphic medicine as a tool for building resilience and encouraging self-reflection. Further study is necessary, as is more rigorous analysis of the relationship between the graphics created and the ability to recognize and mitigate burnout.

Perceived helpfulness and impact of social support provided by family, friends, and health care providers to women newly diagnosed with breast cancer

2007 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 474-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neeraj K. Arora ◽  
Lila J. Finney Rutten ◽  
David H. Gustafson ◽  
Richard Moser ◽  
Robert P. Hawkins
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Newly Diagnosed ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Perceived Helpfulness

scholarly journals Prevalence and Patterns of Health Care Use Among Poor Older People Under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Program in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of Ghana

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 233372141985545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Williams Agyemang-Duah ◽  
Charles Peprah ◽  
Francis Arthur-Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Older People ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Expenditure ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Care Use ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Health Lifestyle

In spite of the growing literature on prevalence and patterns of health care use in later life globally, studies have generally overlooked subjective standpoints of vulnerable Ghanaian older people obstructing the achievement of the United Nations’ health-related Sustainable Development Goals. We examined the prevalence and patterns of health care use among poor older people in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of Ghana. Cross-sectional data were obtained from an Aging, Health, Lifestyle and Health Services Survey conducted between June 1 and 20, 2018 ( N = 200). Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were carried out to estimate the differences between gender and health care utilization with significant level of less than or equal to 0.05. Whereas, 85% of the respondents utilized health care, females were higher utilizers (88% vs. 75%) but males significantly incurred higher health care expenditure. The majority utilized health services on monthly basis (38%) and consulted public health care providers (77%). While 68% utilized services from hospitals, most sourced health information from family members (54%) and financed their health care through personal income (45%). The study found that the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty grant played a little role in reducing health poverty. Stakeholders should review social programs that target poor older people in order to improve their well-being and utilization of health care.

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