Hema malini, Hema
(2016)
Elderly Living with Diabetes in Indonesia.
artikel
.
Abstract
Abstract: Background and purpose: Little is known about how elderly people with diabetes (Type 2) in Indonesia respond
to and live with their disease. In this paper perceptions and actions of some elderly Indonesians in relation to living with
their disease are reported. Methods: Convenience sampling was used. Elderly people with diabetes who volunteered to
participate in a diabetes education program (offered as a trial in three community health centers in Indonesia) were
recruited pre-education to attend a focus group interview and completed a demographic survey. Results: Participants
(n=45) had a mean (SD) age of 60.78 years; 40% had experienced hospitalization (diabetes related) and 24.4% of
participants had had hospitalizations because of blood glucose level (hypo/hyperglycemia). The focus group interview
revealed that symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue and changes in vision had led to health assessments and diagnosis of
diabetes. Participants reported having limited opportunities post-diagnosis to attend diabetes education programs.
Because of these limitations and limited health professional support most of the participants had resorted to alternative
medicine to manage their conditions. Alternative treatments used by the participants included herbal medicines; ion
therapy, and ‘traditional’ medications. Conclusion: These findings suggest that there is need for systematic assessment of
the knowledge and self–treatment strategies that elderly people in Indonesia may be using to manage their diabetes.
Service gap analysis and the potential benefits of structured diabetes education programs for newly diagnosed elderly
persons should be assessed.
Keywords: Diabetes, Elderly, Developing Countries and Health Education Programs
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