Is Diabetes A Global Issue?

INTRODUCTION

Diabetes is a threatening disease in which your blood glucose levels are too
high or too low (medline plus, 2017). Glucose comes from the foods you eat.
Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into the cells to give them
energy. There is type 1 diabetes where the body does not make insulin and
there is type 2 diabetes where the body does not make or use insulin well.
There are 463 million people with diabetes in the world and 55 million people
in MENA Region and 2045 this will rise to 108 million in the world (medline
plus, 2017).

In this research, I will discuss diabetes in Egypt as my country of national

perspective but before this I will discuss diabetes in Oman, India and China
for a global perspective (medline plus, 2017).

Oman is one of the 21 countries in the MENA region. According to the

statistics in 2020, the total adult population 3,6 million in Oman, 291,800 of
them have diabetes (IDF, 2019). The Ministry of Health states that the
diseases constitute a local burden, as 15% of the population of the Sultanate
suffers from diabetes mellitus and about two-thirds of the population suffers
from high blood pressure” (IDF, 2019).

India has an estimated 77 million people with diabetes i.e. 17% of global
diabetes cases, which makes it the second most affected in the world
after China. The number will grow by 2045 to become 134 million per
the International Diabetes Federation (wikipedia, 2021).
In India, type 1 diabetes is rare than in western countries. Only about one-
third of type 2 diabetics in India are overweight or obese. A 2004 study
suggests that the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Indians may be due to
environmental and lifestyle changes. These changes also occur earlier in life,
which means chronic long-term complications are more common (diabetes in
india, 2021).
Almost one Chinese adult in ten has diabetes. A 2010 study estimated that
more than 92 million Chinese adults have the disease. The incidence of the
disease is increasing rapidly which is a reported 30% increase in 7 years
(Epidemiology of diabetes, 2021). I will now discuss three main research
questions: what are the causes, effects, and solutions of diabetes in Egypt.

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CAUSES OF DIABETES IN EGYPT

Poor adherence. Poor adherence to diabetes management is common in

Egypt. Daily testing of blood glucose is rare. Insulin frequent omission
injections is common. Poor adherence with healthy eating and physical
activity plans is common even among educated patients. Because most
diabetes care is conducted in the private sector, which is relatively expensive
for most Egyptians, routine checkups for diabetes and renal function
(Rfaat Hegazi, 2015).

Smoking: Another reason of diabetes in Egypt is Smoking. Smoking is very

common in MENA regions and particularly in Tunisia, Jordan, Syria, and
Lebanon. Around 39.7% of adult males in Egypt are smokers. As outlined
earlier, smoking is directly linked to increased incidence of micro vascular
and its diseases in patients with diabetes. Despite high taxes on cigarettes
and increasing public health education (Rfaat Hegazi, 2015).

Health care: Moreover, health care quality is another big factor that causes
diabetes. According to the WHO, Egypt is one of the countries with careless
health organizations in the world. If compared, it is estimated that almost
30% of the people don’t; have quality health care (Rfaat Hegazi, 2015).

EFFECTS OF DIABETES IN EGYPT

Government budget: Diabetes can block the health growth in Egypt, not only
because it decreases the government budget, but also because it decreases
the population.

Effect on economy: People with diabetes may not be able to contribute more
to the economy because they may not continue be on employment for long
or can become a burden to the companies because of complications from
diabetes such as diseases of the heart, eyesight, kidneys and legs (better
health channel, n.d.). To add to this, eyesight and kidneys because they use
resources.

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Diabetes has severe effect on families if the breadwinner is diabetic and not
employed because there’s no family finances. It can also cause marriage
breakups because of health issues etc.

SOLUTIONS OF DIABETES IN EGYPT

Government, through its public insurance plan, should implement an

efficient screening program among high-risk individuals, especially adults
who are overweight and obese with positive family history of diabetes with
the objective of giving advice and treatment (Rfaat Hegazi, 2015).

The concept of a diabetes management team should be introduced that

includes a certified diabetes educator (CDE) and registered dietitian (RD).
Egyptian authorities should develop or encourage training programs that aim
at preparing enough CDEs and RDs to populate sufficient teams across the
country. (Rfaat Hegazi, 2015)

Encouraging a comprehensive and realistic lifestyle medicine program with

simple methods like exercises, traditional and modern medicines to facilitate
implementation on a large scale. (Rfaat Hegazi, 2015)

central obesity, sedentary lifestyle, change in eating habits, increased

prevalence of hepatitis C, and possibly the increased use of uncontrolled
pesticides.

CONCLUSION

Coming from Egypt and doing this research, I have come to know that
diabetes is a growing public health problem in Egypt that needs proper
government action. Its high prevalence continues to increase because of the
causes mentioned. I agree that if the Egyptian health organization take the
proposed solutions diabetes will be controlled and bring a lot of changes. The
sources used in this research are reliable from respected sources and some
are very recent.

Word count 902

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BIBLIORAPHY:
better health channel. (n.d.). Retrieved from better health channel:
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/diabetes

diabetes in india. (2021, january 25). Retrieved from diabetes in india:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_in_India

Epidemiology of diabetes. (2021, february 23). Retrieved from Epidemiology of diabetes:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology_of_diabetes

IDF. (2019, 11 21). IDF. Retrieved from IDF MENA members: https://www.idf.org/our-network/regions-
members/middle-east-and-north-africa/diabetes-in-
mena.html#:~:text=55%20million%20adults%20(20%2D79,IDF%20MENA%20Region%20are%20
undiagnosed.

medline plus. (2017, january 2). Retrieved from medline plus.

medline plus. (2017, january 2). Retrieved from medline plus: https://medlineplus.gov/diabetes.htm

Rfaat Hegazi. (2015, november). Epidemiology of and Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes in Egypt.
Retrieved from Epidemiology of and Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes in Egypt:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301624231_Epidemiology_of_and_Risk_Factors_for
_Type_2_Diabetes_in_Egypt

wikipedia. (2021, january 25). diabetes in india. Retrieved from diabetes in india:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_in_India