Question

Diabetes is in part controlled with diet and nutritional counseling. How can cultural or regional influences affect the patient’s health and management of diabetes? For example, a southern African-American, a Muslim immigrant from Pakistan, a vegetarian, a single twenty year old, etc. All of these patient cultural, religious, or lifestyle choices can impact their diabetes and overall health. How can a MA provide effective patient care while considering these influences?

Answer 1

A crucial challenge facing healthcare providers seeking to prevent diabetes and improve diabetes outcomes is the rapidly increasing ethnic diversity in the United States and the disproportionate incidence and prevalence of both diabetes and diabetes-related complications among ethnic minorities. Both diabetes prevention and management require that people engage in multiple healthy behaviors involving diet, physical activity, and other behaviors that are shaped by an individual's culture and values. Effective strategies to prevent diabetes and improve diabetes outcomes thus need to incorporate a sound knowledge of cultural differences.