Meetoo Danny, McGovern Peter, Safadi Reema
Adult Nursing, Allerton Building, University of Salford, Salford.
Br J Nurs. 2007;16(16):1002-7. doi: 10.12968/bjon.2007.16.16.27079.
Once the Cinderella of chronic diseases, diabetes mellitus is now fast emerging as one of the biggest health catastrophes the world has ever witnessed. Almost 6% of the world's adult population now live with diabetes (Sicree et al, 2003; International Federation of Diabetes, 2006). It has been predicted that the total number of people with diabetes will rise to 366 million in less than 30 years if preventative action is not taken (Wild et al, 2004). Diabetes is no longer a concern of an individual country. It has huge global and societal implications, particularly in developing countries where the development of diabetes at an early age can lead to untoward human suffering, disability and socioeconomic cost. An internationally coordinated effort is required to improve human behaviour and lifestyle to halt the global diabetes epidemic and the development of such complications as retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, cardiovascular diseases, peripheral vascular diseases and stroke. For such a formula to be successful, it is important for nurses to be proactive in their political role in ensuring that people with diabetes become expert in their condition. In so doing, healthcare systems and resources could be used more effectively to reduce real human and economic costs.
糖尿病曾是慢性病中被忽视的疾病，如今正迅速成为世界所见证的最大健康灾难之一。目前，全球近6%的成年人患有糖尿病（西克里等人，2003年；国际糖尿病联合会，2006年）。据预测，如果不采取预防措施，糖尿病患者总数将在不到30年的时间里增至3.66亿（怀尔德等人，2004年）。糖尿病不再是个别国家的问题。它具有巨大的全球和社会影响，尤其是在发展中国家，糖尿病在年轻时发病会导致人们遭受不幸、残疾以及产生社会经济成本。需要国际间的协同努力来改善人类行为和生活方式，以遏制全球糖尿病流行以及诸如视网膜病变、肾病、神经病变、心血管疾病、外周血管疾病和中风等并发症的发生。要使这样的方案取得成功，护士积极发挥其政治作用以确保糖尿病患者成为自身病情的专家很重要。这样做可以更有效地利用医疗保健系统和资源，以降低实际的人力和经济成本。
