Endocrine Abstracts

Background: This is a patient advocacy effort by a Non-government-Organization from developing nation. In addition to drug treatment, patients’ improvement in health status and quality of life may depend on their ability and willingness to adhere to all their therapies and undertake self-care activities.

Methodology: Traditionally, life style changes have been promoted through hospital delivered interventions. However, to reach larger number of people with arthritis, recent attention has been directed toward developing community-based interventions, which takes place in nonclinical settings and is provided by health professionals, paraprofessionals or lay persons. care must be targeted to prevent development of complications. educational efforts to promote life style changes, information and motivation strategies needs to be developed. Further, written contracts between patients and health care practitioners regarding health promotion activities, and telephone- or internet follow-up may enhance patients’ adherence.

Health promotion: Health promotion enables people to increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health smoking, obesity, poor physical fitness and depression, economic burden of treatment are major hurdles in diabetes management. Diabetes is associated with severe psychological distress and major depression and they are a leading cause of morbidity and disability, giving rise to enormous healthcare expenditures and loss of work.

Depression: Diabetics have higher levels of depressed mood & its independent predictor of mortality.

Current status: Currently various lifestyle changes are indicted in diabetes outcome. People with diabetes have significantly worse health-related quality of life (HRQOL). There is considered to be a ‘window of opportunity’ to improve outcome by the early diagnosis and treatment.

Obesity: Obesity, (BMI >30 kg/m²) is a risk factor for diabetes, as well as for cardio-vascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease: Several studies has shown that diabetes is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death compared with general population.

Health promoting interventions: Several studies have also demonstrated that weight loss improves sugar control. Being active is also a mean to prevent depression, as it has been shown that declines in the ability to engage in recreational activities and social interactions significantly increase the risk of depressive symptoms.

Conclusion: Based on current research, it is evident that health promotion is important, while health promotion is important to prevent poor outcomes of the disease & have better QOL. ESE must work towards formation of policy paper on this aspect of diabetis control.