Community Health

Even though the quality of health care in the United States has been improving over the years, several health disparities still exist. There are disparities in the prevalence of diabetes among different populations. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is more likely to affect individuals from minority populations. Minority populations make up 25% of the adults with diabetes mellitus in the US (Kahn et al., 2019). Asian Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, and African Americans are at a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Several measures have been put in place to reduce diabetes health disparities. For instance, the National Diabetes Prevention Program has been crucial in helping individuals with prediabetes delay or prevent type 2 diabetes. Different ethnic and racial minority groups have been enrolling in the program, thus helping reduce the prevalence of type diabetes among the populations. While working with a lifestyle coach, the participants of the program learn to cope with stress, be physically active, and make better food choices. These practices help in preventing the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Since the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Native Americans is 2 to 3 times that of whites, programs have been initiated to reduce the prevalence of diabetes in this population. The Native Diabetes Wellness Program is one of the programs that aims at preventing type 2 diabetes in Native Americans by honoring a balance between cultural practices and Western science in the Indian country (DeBruyn et al., 2020). The program promotes physical activity and healthy eating among children by developing a series of colorful books.

Moreover, national diabetes quality improvement initiatives have played a key role in reducing the disparities in the prevalence of diabetes. For instance, some of the deficiencies in health care have been addressed through the Diabetes Quality Improvement Project (DQIP). DQIP is a collaborative effort of health services organizations, insurance organizations, diabetes organizations, and diabetes health care providers. It allows the collaboration of different healthcare providers and organizations in preventing diabetes.

All in all, several measures have been put in place to address the health disparities in diabetes. By allowing individuals from minority groups to enroll in the program, the National Diabetes Prevention Program has played a key role in preventing type 2 diabetes. The Native Diabetes Wellness Program mainly targets the prevention of diabetes among Native Americans.

References

DeBruyn, L., Fullerton, L., Satterfield, D., & Frank, M. (2020). Integrating culture and history to promote health and help prevent type 2 diabetes in American Indian/alaska native communities: Traditional foods have become a way to talk about health. Preventing Chronic Disease, 17, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd17.190213

Kahn, H. S., Gregg, E. W., Fujimoto, W. Y., & Imperatore, G. (2019). Prevalence of Diabetes by Race and Ethnicity in the United States, 2011-2016. Jama Network, 30341(24), 2389–2398. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.19365

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Community Health

Examine Healthy People 2020 health promotion and disease prevention objectives. Identify a health disparity and research this topic; how is it being addressed at both the local and national level?