Current Status of Diabetes in Palestine: Epidemiology, Management, and Healthcare System
Date
2019-09-08
Authors
El Sharif Nuha
Imam Asma
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer
Abstract
This chapter reviews the epidemic of diabetes mellitus (DM) that is affecting the Palestinian population, the extent and magnitude of the problem, risk factors and complications, management protocols and compliance, and patients’ quality of life (QoL). Moreover, the challenges and problems facing the Palestinian community in
prevention and control of diabetes are discussed. The authors focus on the published literature from the past two decades, and incorporate data from research studies in the
field of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. It is worth noting here that most work done in Palestine in the field are evaluative studies, and that there are no prevention or
intervention studies focused on diabetes prevention or control. DM is considered the fourth leading cause of death in Palestine, with a prevalence of
9.1% in patients aged 20–79 years and is predicted to increase to 20.6% by 2020. Lifestyle changes and uncontrolled glycemic levels are associated with an increased risk
of developing type 2 DM (T2DM) and its complications.
All Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) domains of Palestinian patients with DM are negatively affected by its incidence. Moreover, longer duration of DM (>10 years),
presence of chronic diseases and comorbidities, and the existence of one or more DM complications negatively impact HRQoL.
T2DM patients’ adherence to anti-diabetic medications in Palestine is suboptimal compared to international studies. The overall adherence levels to the diabetic clinical
guidelines are disappointingly suboptimal within the Palestinian Primary Healthcare Centers of both the Ministry of Health and the United Nations Relief and Work Agency
(UNRWA).
Description
Keywords
Citation
Nuha El Sharif & Asma Imam. Current Status of Diabetes in Palestine: Epidemiology, Management, and Healthcare System. Handbook of Health Care in the Arab World, 2019, Springer publications.