Answer To: Type 2 diabetes in elderly Australians and its prevention and management through physical Activity?...
Tanaya answered on Apr 04 2021
Running Head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL 1
RESEARCH PROPOSAL 3
TYPE 2 DIABETES IN ELDERLY AUSTRALIANS AND ITS PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT THROUGH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
(RESEARCH PROPOSAL)
Table of Contents
1. Introduction 4
1.1 Background 4
1.2 Research Rationale 4
1.3 Research Aim 6
1.4 Research Objectives 6
1.5 Research Questions 6
1.6 Significance of Research 7
1.7 Proposed Dissertation Structure 7
2. Literature Review 8
2.1 Type 2 Diabetes as a Disorder 8
2.2 Causes and Symptoms of T2D 8
2.3 Diagnosis of T2D 9
2.4 Treatment for T2D 9
2.5 Physical Activities and their Significance 10
2.6 Impact of T2D on an Elderly Individual 10
2.7 Link between T2D and Physical Activity in the Management of T2D 12
3. Research Methodology 13
3.1 Research Philosophy 13
3.2 Research Approach 14
3.3 Research Design 14
3.4 Research Type 14
4. Data Collection 15
4.1 Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria 15
4.2 Validity of the Source and Reliability 16
5. Data Analysis Plan 17
5.1 Ethical Considerations 17
6. Research Limitations 18
7. Anticipated Findings 18
8. Anticipated Conclusion 19
References 20
Appendix: Timeline 24
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a serious condition that has been observed to lay impact on many of the elderly individuals in Australia. Type 2 diabetes is a condition when the body fails to produce an adequate amount of insulin. According to Hamasaki (2016), in most of the middle-aged as well as older adults, type 2 diabetes incidence is found to be very high in Australia. In addition, many of the elderly individuals who live a sedentary and inactive life are observed to be overweight with a familial history of type 2 diabetes condition. In many cases, diabetes in an elderly individual reflects in the form of kidney diseases, nerve damage, eye problems, heart disease and stroke.
In some of the elderly Australians, type 2 diabetes condition may lead to Alzheimer’s and cancer is even observed. In this condition, physical exercise has been effective and prescribed by physicians to elderly individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes. As opined by Chard et al. (2017), activities, such as walking or doing any kind of physical exercise, has been observed to have developed the aggravating condition of the T2D patients. Since obesity and overweight at the elder age can also be responsible for T2D, physical activity is beneficial in overcoming this condition.
1.2 Research Rationale
Among every 5 Australians, one of the individuals is found to suffer from Type 2 Diabetes. According to the researcher, T2D in Australia is a disability with 11% of the population suffers from this disability. As expressed by Arovah, Kushartanti, Washington and Heesch (2019), when explored why there is a growing number of diabetes patient in Australia especially among the elderly population, it has been observed that a large number of the elderly population lead a sedentary life and they rarely get many physical exercises.
This lack of physical exercises has driven a change in the physical activity rates and changes in the diets. One of the greatest challenges behind the T2D, most of the elderly pollution having diabetes suffers from their limitation in work causing medical problems, peripheral neuropathy because of uncontrolled diabetes. As analysed by Plotnikoff, Wilczynska, Cohen, Smith and Lubans, (2017), in most of the cases of T2D in the elderly population in Australia, the T2D is closely associated to lifestyle-related risk factors. Most of them have a genetic or familial diabetic condition.
Initially, with the modification in the lifestyle of the individuals and with glucose medication the blood glucose concentration was kept in control. However, in the current situation, as stated by the NHS in between the year 2017 there are around 574000 people who are at the age of 65 years and above. With the increase in the age, the prevalence of T2D also found to increase Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2018).
The current statistics highlights 19.4% of the population between the ages of 65 years and 85 years are suffering from T2D. The numbers of men with T2D are comparatively higher to women with an amount of 55 %. As the population increases, Australians above the age of 65 years and above show a higher number of cases of T2D diabetes (National Health Survey, 2018). Statistical analysis shows that within the last 2 decades the number of self-reported diabetes condition has doubled. In the year 1995, the number of T2D in the older population was reported to be 8.5%, which increased to 17.4% in the year between 2014 and 2015.
With a high increase in the body mass index (BMI) and with an increase in the blood pressure, the risk of T2D has also increased. In many cases, diabetes in the elderly population is associated with other health condition that includes vision loss, neuropathy, heart attack, difficulty in the wound healing process and chronic health challenges. Although the change in the lifestyle may decrease the risk factors, in most of the cases utilising medication in controlling T2D in the older population is challenging.
1.3 Research Aim
The proposed study will allow in understanding the impact of physical activity on elderly type 2 diabetes patients in Australia
1.4 Research Objectives
· To understand type 2 diabetes in the older population in Australia
· To evaluate the physical activity in the prevention of type 2 diabetes
· To analyse the physical activity in the older population in the future management of T2D
· To evaluate the best methods, by which the older population in Australia can be protected from T2D condition getting aggravated
1.5 Research Questions
The key research question is “How does physical exercise can assist older Australians in the management and prevention of Type 2 diabetes?”
Based on it, the following sub-questions will be addressed—
· What is type 2 diabetes and to what extent, is the older population in Australia impacted?
· What is the effect of physical activity on type 2 diabetes patients?
· How the physical activity in the elderly population will help in the management of T2D condition?
· What are the best methods, by which the Australian older population can be protected from aggravation of type 2 diabetes?
1.6 Significance of Research
It is important to control type 2 Diabetes as it results in the high sugar levels in the blood resulting in the short-term challenges that include hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemia. If there is not adequate knowledge available regarding the various measures of management and control of the diabetic condition it may result in the damage of organs such as nerves, kidneys, stroke and heart. According to Alatawi, Kavookjian, Ekong and Alrayees (2016), these conditions associated with the type 2 Diabetes usually do not appear at the teenage or adolescent age rather they appear at the age of 60 to 65 years.
It has been long explored by the researchers the impact of the physical activity in controlling the type 2 diabetes condition. The current research will help in further exploration of the positive impacts on the health of the aged individual in changing the lifestyle and controlling the risk factors. The study will also ensure creating an idea of the extent the physical activity will prevent T2D in the aged population in Australia.
1.7 Proposed Dissertation Structure
Figure 1: Proposed Structure of the Dissertation
(Source: Researcher)
2. Literature Review
2.1 Type 2 Diabetes as a Disorder
T2D is considered a chronic condition, which is characterised by the high sugar level in the blood. Type 2 diabetes is also known as diabetes mellitus and it is mostly observed in the adults. The T2D condition in most cases is observed in middle-aged and in old aged individuals. According to Arovah, Kushartanti, Washington and Heesch (2019),in recent years, however, a large number of the teenage and adolescents were observed to have developed T2D condition. The mechanism that leads to the T2D condition is when one consumes food, the digestion of the food results in breaking the food molecules in basic components.
The carbohydrate in the food is digested into simple sugars in the form of glucose. The glucose provides energy for the functioning of the body and hence it is crucial that the sugar molecule enters the cell. However, as stated by Dempsey et al. (2016), individuals who suffer from T2D are observed to resist insulin. As a result, blood sugar constantly keeps on building. This results in the production of more insulin in the body by the pancreas. Over the years, the condition worsens leading to rising of glucose in the body will pancreas not able to produce insulin adequately to break the sugar.
2.2 Causes and Symptoms of T2D
With the increase in the blood sugar level, there are common symptoms that are reflected by the patient. Some of them include excessive thirst, urination and hunger. In many cases, the aged individual can show the loss in weight with an increased susceptibility for infections. According to Wilcox (2018), in case of the very high sugar level, a complication termed as the hyperosmolar syndrome is observed. This is a condition where the body goes into excessive dehydration, which is life threatening. The hyperosmolar condition reflected by the T2D patient shows symptoms that include seizure, coma, weakness, nausea and confused thinking.
2.3 Diagnosis of T2D
One of the best methods for the diagnosis of T2D is verifying the sugar level in the blood. Blood can be tested after 8 hours of fasting, overnight. It has been observed that the body has the capacity of storing blood sugar within the level in between 70 to 100 mg/dL in spite of fasting. In case the body has sugar level at the end of 8 hours of fasting more than 125 mg/dL, the individual is said to have diabetes. There is a condition, which the physician evaluates to diagnose the diabetic condition in the patient.
Some of these conditions include abdominal obesity, a high level of blood pressure with a high risk for strokes and heart diseases. As expressed by Chatterjee, Khunti and Davies, (2017), Blood...