Essay on Psychology and Health Issues Program Review-Hca/250

Psychology and Health Issues Program Review October 7, 2012 HCA/250 Instructor: Catherine Doughty In this final project of the class, we are asked to follow a widespread psychological issue to be chosen from a list of subjects. The overview that was selected was diabetes. An explanation of the health issue overview, education program, and a proposal to improve the program will be explained in the following paragraphs as well as psychology issues, risk factors, and treatments that are associated with this disease. After researching diabetes, the findings were that African Americans are the ethnic group that is most affected by the disease. 4.9 million African Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes and the numbers†¦show more content†¦Being overweight is a primary factor to diabetes due to the storage of fatty tissue. The more it is, the more resistant to diabetes and individual is. With fat distribution, the body stores more fat in the abdomen, the risk factor to Type 2 diabetes is greater. Inactivity due to no exercise or inability to move normally makes cells inactive to insulin. Family history increases the risk if a parent and/or sibling has type 2 diabetes. African Americans (race) are the most likely to develop diabetes than any other race. The older we get, the less we are to exercise, lose muscle mass and gain weight. Untreated pre-diabetes will eventually turn into type 2 diabetes as well as gestational diabetes when pregnant. (Centers for Disease Control, pg.2, 2012) Diabetes seems to be linked strongly with poverty. Poor nutrition and being poor does not allow for the impoverished to obtain healthy and nutritious meals. Being poor means that you have to eat what you can when you can in order to survive. In poor neighborhoods, there is not an option of fresh produce or fresh meats, just canned or packaged foods that are easily prepared in the microwave or an oven are what they are subjected to eat. Their grocery store is the convenience store on the corners of the neighboring blocks. Owners of the stores are scared to erect grocery stores because they are in fear of being