Its not unusual to have a patient in the ED, on the ward, or in outpatient treatment areas, who have symptoms or sequellae of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). They come to us now either totally unaware or not understanding of their diagnosis or else ignoring it. We may find ourselves in a position to make judgements about the patients’ eating habits or self care programs and sometimes even about their willingness to cooperate with their medical treatment team.

What a diagnosis means for the patient

Usually, the first time a diagnosis is given to the patient, more often than not, he is like a ‘deer in the headlights’.  He isn’t feeling well, he’s stressed by being in unfamiliar surroundings, he hears jargon he doesn’t always understand and he goes away wondering what is going on. And unless the professional follow-up is persistent and careful, he might forever be lost to the system. The next time we may see these patients is when they are in extremis and relying on us to ‘fix’ the problem.

Read more: http://www.ausmed.com.au/blog/entry/diabetes-a-health-literacy-opportunity

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