Client Health Behavior Assessment Paper
Diabetes type 1 is a serious condition and the client health behavior defines, to a significant extent, the overall effectiveness of treatment and the condition of the client. This is why the client behavior is very important for the effective treatment of diabetes type 1. This health issue is a very serious condition that affects the patient health and conditions of life. The early diagnosis and the proper treatment are essential but the effectiveness of the treatment depends on the client behavior and changes in the client’s lifestyle. Therefore, the treatment of diabetes type 1 involves the close interaction and effective communication between health care professionals and clients to help clients to change the lifestyle properly and to improve the health condition of clients. Client Health Behavior Assessment Paper
The client is a male patient at the age of 42, who has been diagnosed with diabetes type 1 one year ago. The patient has started the treatment but experiences difficulties with changing the lifestyle. More specifically, the client does not practice physical activities recommended by the doctor and has failed to give up smoking. In such a situation, the condition of the client deteriorates steadily and immediate changes in the behavior of the client are needed.
In this regard, the analysis of diabetes type 1 is needed to understand needs of the client and to provide specific recommendations concerning the change in his treatment and behavior. Diabetes type 1 is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, a hormone needed to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy (Lawrence, et al., 2008). However, often people misinterpret and associate diabetes with diabetes type 2 only. At any rate, the common public view on diabetes is the view based on the belief that diabetes occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or does not make enough insulin (Seidell, 2000). Furthermore, another misinterpretation or myth about diabetes type 1 is the strong belief that diabetes type 1 is determined by heredity mainly, while, in actuality, diabetes type 1 is more likely to be triggered by viruses. Client Health Behavior Assessment Paper
Therefore, diabetes type 1 is a serious condition that makes the client dependent on the regular intake of insulin and requires the effective treatment along with the change of the lifestyle. The early diagnosis of the disease is very important. In case of the client, he referred to the health care professional, when he has started to manifest the major signs and symptoms of diabetes type 1. This health condition often occurs in children and it is very important to reveal the development of the disease to start the treatment of the disease. The progress of the disease deteriorates the quality of life of clients and, if the condition remains without treatment, the further progress of type 1 diabetes eventually leads to the lethal outcome.
Researchers () distinguish the following symptoms of diabetes type 1: increased thirst; frequent urination; bedwetting in children who previously didn’t wet the bed during the night; extreme hunger; unintended weight loss; irritability and other mood changes; fatigue and weakness; blurred vision; in females, a vaginal yeast infection. The client has the major symptoms of diabetes type 1 and the detailed examination of the client along with the blood test has revealed that the client does have the disease and the doctor has elaborated and started the treatment of the client. The doctor focused on the development of the medication treatment along with the development of the diet and recommendations concerning the change in the lifestyle of the patient.
In this regard, the main goal of the treatment of diabetes type 1 is to keep patients’ blood sugar level as close to normal as possible to delay or prevent complications (Rother, 2007). The treatment of the client involves the complex treatment based on the traditional approach to the treatment of patients with diabetes type 1. The treatment of diabetes type 1 involves the medication and the development of the target lifestyle of patients that prevent or minimizes the risk of complications and fast progress of the disease. The medication includes taking insulin and other drugs, if necessary and prescribed by the doctor. Such treatment allows patients to maintain the balance of sugar in blood and compensate the lack of insulin by injections. The insulin injections are essential for the maintenance of the stable level of insulin and sugar in blood of the patient. such treatment is vitally essential for the patient. Client Health Behavior Assessment Paper
At the same time, it is extremely important for the patient with diabetes type 1 to monitor his health condition and identify any changes that occur to him and that may indicate to possible complications or deterioration of his condition. In this regard, the patient with diabetes type 1 should pay a particular attention to carbohydrate counting and frequent blood sugar monitoring because the change of the level of carbohydrate or blood sugar may be extremely dangerous for his health (Eberhart, et al., 2004). The change in the level of blood sugar is the disturbing sign that requires the immediate response and medication treatment. The insulin intake is vitally important for the patient.
Furthermore, the patient with diabetes type 1 should change his lifestyle consistently compared to their lifestyle before they caught the disease. First, he should change his diet because eating healthy foods is imperative for him (Rother, 2007). At any rate, it is only health foods that can provide patients with diabetes type 1 with all essential elements and nutrients and prevent misbalancing their condition. The right diet and proper nutrition can help to decrease the risk of complications, especially if there is a proper medication back-up. In this regard, the patient’s behavior manifests some positive trends. To put it more precisely, the client has changed his diet and basically follows recommendations provided by his doctor. In such a way, he attempts to maintain the healthy diet and focuses on the consumption of healthy food that does not have a harmful impact on his condition and lifestyle. The change in the nutrition has a positive impact on the condition of the client because diet is one of the essential conditions of the effective treatment of diabetes type 1.Client Health Behavior Assessment Paper
On the other hand, the patient has some difficulties in changing his lifestyle to cope with his current condition and to improve his health and the effectiveness of treatment. First, the patient has refused from giving up smoking. Smoking is definitely the risk factor, taking into consideration the current condition of the client. He keeps smoking, although he has reduced the amount of cigarettes he smokes on the daily basis. Nevertheless, such reduction is insignificant in light of the overall progress of diabetes type 1 and risks smoking brings to the health of the client, who suffers from diabetes type 1. This is why the total refusal from smoking is still the priority for the client and he should give up smoking completely to reduce the impact of negative factors on his health.
Furthermore, another issue in the current condition and behavior of the client is his unwillingness and the lack of enthusiasm about physical activities. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that the client is overweighed and physical activities would have been very helpful for the improvement of his condition and improved the effectiveness of the treatment of diabetes type1. This is why the proper treatment of the patient requires the change in his behavior. To put it more precisely, the client should develop physical activities, but he should increase physical activities under the control of his doctor to ensure that his physical activities are not harmful and not excessive for his condition because the treatment of diabetes type 1 requires physical activities but they should be used carefully to avoid the deterioration of the health condition in case of injuries or excessive physical exhaustion of the client. Client Health Behavior Assessment Paper
Thus, the treatment of the patient is essential to prevent the further deterioration of his condition because of the progress of diabetes type 1, but the enhancement of the effectiveness of the treatment of the patient requires changes in his current behavior. First, the patient should give up smoking. Second, the patient should increase physical activities under the supervision of his doctor. At the same time, he has reached a considerable progress in his behavior due to changes in his diet and the medication treatment, which the client undergoes properly.Client Health Behavior Assessment Paper