Cultural perceptions, gestational diabetes, and development

Abstract

Women constitute half of the world's population, but a far larger percentage of the world's poor, particularly in low-income countries. The UN Millennium Declaration recognizes the link between growth, poverty reduction, and sustainable development, and the crucial role women play in achieving sustainable development. A child's future is interwoven with the life situation of its mother, most intimately so in the case of gestational diabetes. This article discusses the social and economic implications of the rapid growth of type 2 diabetes and diabetes mellitus. It calls for culturally sensitive health policies and programs to address prevention and treatment of these conditions. Notions of conception, pregnancy, and well-being vary greatly among the world's 5000–6000 cultures. The article illuminates this disparity, drawing on the author's research among indigenous people in Central Borneo. It concludes that culture-specific perceptions must be incorporated in policies and programs that address the detrimental effects of diabetes on health and socioeconomic development.