Ebook Diabetes and the disadvantaged: reducing health inequalities in the UK
Diabetes is one of the greatest health challenges facing the UK today. The numbers diagnosed are expected to reach over 3 million by 2010. Around half these cases will be people from disadvantaged communities. These are also the people who are less likely to access the appropriate care. Unless it is diagnosed and effectively treated diabetes can put people at risk of complications such as heart and kidney disease, blindness, strokes and amputations. Deaths from diabetes are expected to rise by 25 per cent in the next 10 years.
This report looks at the current link between diabetes and socio economic deprivation in the UK. It also examines possible solutions to tackling this pattern of high diabetes prevalence and poor outcomes amongst diverse communities. These groups by definition include: people from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities, people with diabetes and severe mental illness, prisoners with diabetes, homeless people with diabetes and refugees/asylum seekers, young people, the elderly and people in residential homes. A common theme running through most of these groups is deprivation and socio economic disadvantage.
These groups have been specifically targeted as:
- they may be difficult to reach via mainstream channels
- they may face inequalities in accessing care
- their first language may not be English or they may have literacy difficulties
- their cultures, religious beliefs and lifestyles affect health care delivery and management.
It is important to consider the profile of those most likely to have diabetes. Of the 2.2 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK, 1.3 million people are aged over 65,2 344,000 are from black and minority ethnic groups and 80 per cent of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese at diagnosis.
Contents
Foreword
Executive summary
1 Introduction
2 Socio economic disadvantage
3 Who and why?
4 Summary
5 Key recommendations
6 Examples of good practice
References
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