Wissam Mustapha, Zakia S Hossain and Kate O’ Loughlin
Background: Diabetes is a global health concern which is known to be more prevalent among certain cultural and ethnic groups. While genetics may be a contributing factor, higher incidence or difficulties in managing the disease may be attributable to cultural habits over generations. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of diabetes, its effective management and its impact on the Lebanese community of Sydney, one of the city’s fastest growing ethnic groups.
Materials and methods: A quantitative method was used. A total of 200 Lebanese migrants living in the Sydney metropolitan area (SMA) who had been diagnosed with diabetes at least six months prior to the study were recruited purposively from the SMA surgeries primarily serving the Lebanese community. The study used a questionnaire to ascertain background information, health, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, lifestyle, and quality of life, management of the disease and emotional wellbeing of the participants. Management of diabetes was measured using the Patient Activation Measurement (PAM) scale, while quality of life (QOL) was measured by using the CES-D scale.
Results: The results showed the mean age of participants to be 48 years; the majority were male (78%) and married (94%). More than a third had formal education and less than half were employed at the time of the study. Of the components of QOL, over a third of the participants reported impeded mobility, less than half (48.5%) struggled with personal care and hygiene, and 74% experienced difficulties at work. Moreover, diabetes incapacitated 80% of those attempting to do household chores; more than 75% experienced pain and discomfort while 73.5% endured bouts of anxiety and depression due to diabetes. The t-test results indicated that males were more likely to follow a medical plan than their female counterparts, while ANOVA showed that the middle-aged participants were significantly more confident at following their medication plans compared to the young and older cohorts, both results were significant at p=<0.05.
Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that diabetes affects both the physical and emotional health of the participants of the study and that individuals with diabetes may experience considerable anxiety and stress as they attempt to manage their disease. It seems that an effective and focused education tailored to women, as well as to younger and older cohorts is needed to improve their self-care and understanding of treatment regimes, hence enhancing their quality of life through effective management of diabetes.