Question

Explain how A global health issue that affects the international health community is Diabetes Mellitus (DM)? Described how disease is playing a major public health problem worldwide?

Answer 1

Diabetes mellitus is seen as a heterogeneous group of diseases, characterized by a state of chronic hyperglycaemia, resulting from a diversity aetiologies, environmental and genetic, acting jointly.

Diabetes is an ICEBERG disease.. Although increase in both the prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes have occured globally, they have been especially dramatic in societies in economic transition, in newly industrialised countries and in developing countries.

Previously a disease of the middle aged and elderly, type 2 diabetes has recently escalated in all age groups & is now being seen in younger age groups, including adolescents, especially in high risk population. This means, that in developing countries the majority of diabetic patients acquire the disease during the most productive period of their lives. This will have major implications with respect to health care needs and costs as they will live up to an older age to develop chronic complications of diabetes.

The rising prevalence of diabetes in developing countries is closely associated with industrialization and socio-economic development.