Question

explain why psychological, cultural and soiritual aspects are important to consider for a patient who has been diagnosed with diabetes. Describe how support can be offered in those areas mentioned, as a part of a plan of care for the patient. provide examples

Answer 1

Psychosocial aspects of care influence patient outcomes, compliance, and decision making. Patients experience illness within the context of their cultural and spiritual experience and do so surrounded by a family and caregivers.

Response to emotional distress is an important aspect of forging the therapeutic relationship.

Patient encounters may reveal intense emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, and hopelessness, especially when patients face unexpected serious or life-threatening illness.

The patient may already be experiencing significant life stressors prior to hospitalization, such as separation, financial worry, difficulty with family relationships, or substance use or abuse. The patient may have undiagnosed or undertreated psychological or behavioral issues including anxiety or depression.

The provision of holistic care for terminally ill patients and their families requires attention to the psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural aspects of the patient's experience.

EXAMPLE:

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that impacts physical, social and mental including psychological well-being of people living with it.

psychosocial aspects including cognitive, emotional, behavioral and social factors in the treatment interventions would help overcome the psychological barriers, associated with adherence and self-care for diabetes.

Stress response can be defined as a cognitive, emotional, physical, or behavioral level that can have serious, negative consequences on the body upon long-term activation.

Under stress, numerous metabolic changes including vasoconstriction in the peripheral vascular system, increased heart rate, increased muscle activity, and increased production of stress hormones leads to elevate blood glucose levels for extra energy required to combat stress.emotional distress in patients with diabetes is associated with poor glycemic control.

Psychological reaction in diabetic patient are like:

• shock
• denial
• anger
• guilt
• feal of loss
• phobia of starting insulin, needle/injection, late complications etc.
• frustration
• differential food habits of family
• shychological truma like anxirty, depression, schitzophrenia etc.

Spiritual aspect

spirituality is more individualistic and self-determined, whereas religion typically involves connections to a community with shared beliefs and rituals.self-management is a crucial component of management, it is important to understand how compliance can be improved by focussing on health behaviours and beliefs, of which spirituality is an integral aspect for most people.

spirituality and religion cannot be forced or utilized as a prescription unlike an antidiabetic drug and expect it to make a difference in ones’ health. when the spiritual health is seriously at risk, a person may experience emotional disturbances such as loneliness, depression and loss of meaning in life.

religion creates a positive attitude towards the world and makes the person powerful against unfortunate events in life such as diseases and helps to improve the life with motivation and energy. This increases tolerance and acceptance of situations that cannot be changed.

sometimes in a diabetic patient impact of praying in the treatment can be indicative of treatment of some diseases in case of modern medicine failure.

cultural aspect:

It is well established that there are gaps in knowledge and sensitivity when dealing with patients from diverse cultures.Health care requires understanding of the underpinning culture of the people. How do people from different cultures and social groups explain the causes of ill health and the types of the treatment they believe in, and whom do they contact if they require any help.

EXAPMLE: patient with diabetes having a fear of chronicity of illness also taking insulin injection everyday,dependent for food on family member because separately preparation of food ,physical changes in body.

this all can leads to a stress, anxiety, fear and phobia which may affect psychologically.

also person's belief behaviour , diet, lifestyle will be changed after diagnosed diabetes so which will affect cultural beliefs of that patient.

patient may will loose faith in god because of this illness, feel like why me? and also some other spiritual aspects of life.

thank you