Support Need Analysis

Using the information from the interview you conducted in Week 2, list in descending order the support needs of your participant. Also discuss how to implement objectives of Healthy People 2020 to increase wellness. Give examples of appropriate interventions of the professional caregiver, for example, the nurse.

Submit your findings in a 4- to 5-page Microsoft Word document.

Support your responses with examples.

On a separate references page, cite all sources using APA format.

A chronic ailment refers to a disease that persists for a lifetime, and not preventable by vaccines or cured by medication. The disease affects the patients for a very long time and may need intensive management. Chronic ailments pose several problems to the patients including living with the physical effects and disability caused by the disease, dealing with treatments, maintaining emotional balance, and psychological and financial impacts on the patient's families and friends. The chronic illness chose in week 1 was diabetes. This paper administers a questionnaire to a patient living with diabetes, analyzing the responses and an interpretation of how it will affect the planning care for diabetes.

Questionnaire

1. When were you diagnosed with diabetes?

I developed the symptoms of diabetes and diagnosed at the age of 32 years.

2. Do you have people in your family suffering from diabetes?

No, am the first person in our family to suffer from diabetes.

3. What symptoms did you experience before you were diagnosed with diabetes?

I experienced loss of weight, feeling thirsty most of the time, loss of body energy, waking up almost four times per night to urinate, always feeling tired and constant hunger despite how much I ate. I was also having a dry mouth and skin, which the doctor told me, resulted from the loss of water in the body because of urinating severally.

4. How many times do you need to pee on a daily basis?

A healthy person urinates 4 to 8 times in a day, but I require using the bathroom more than this number of times. I would say I feel the urge to urinate almost every one and half hours.

5. How does the need to urinate regularly affect your everyday life?

Frequent urination prevents me from traveling for long distances, but if I have to travel, I require to use means that will enable me to relieve myself whenever I feel the urge to release myself. I cannot travel more than two hours, and I also need to relieve myself before starting the journey. At my workplace, it wastes a lot of time since I have to leave my severally to visit the bathroom.

6. Have you suffered any loss of weight?

I lost a lot of weight before diagnosis and during the first few months of taking medication, but I have added some weight after managing the disease. However, I have to keep checking my weight because the doctor informed that weight gain could worsen blood glucose control.

7. Do your eyes experience blurry vision?

I experienced it before diagnosis, but my vision has improved after keeping the disease under control using medications. However, I usually experience a change in vision whenever blood sugar rises, but the vision goes back to normal after the blood sugar stabilizes.

8. Do you have hypertension?

I am lucky that that am among the few diabetics who do not suffer from high blood pressure. I know am a high risk of having it, so I always keep my blood pressure in check at all times.

9. Do you suffer from any other disease associated with diabetes?

I suffer from fluctuating vision and foot problems caused by nerve damage.

10. What type of treatment did your doctor recommend?

The doctor recommended a combination of medication, monitoring my blood sugar, exercising regularly and having a healthy lifestyle. Leading a healthy lifestyle and regular physical activities have not been enough for, and the doctor recommended that I start taking medications. I take sulfonylureas pills aimed at helping the body to produce more insulin.

11. How often do you test your blood glucose levels?

I take the blood sugar tests every morning, evening and before meals using my personal blood sugar meter.

12. How did your family take the news of your diagnosis and how have they helped you in any way to control the disease?