Strategies to Reduce Diabetes Mellitus Among Aged Patients in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State

Abstract

The burden of the sudden and premature death from diabetes is silently alarming, yet the problem seems to be not fully recognized. It has also be the leading cause of blindness, amputation and kidney failure in elder adults. These complications or effects account for much of the social and financial burden of diabetes. Hence, this study focus on strategies to reduce diabetes mellitus among old age in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State. Quasi-Experimental type of research was used for the study. The sample size of two hundred (200) respondents was used for the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select one hundred trained and one hundred untrained personnels, the data gathered from the administered questionnaire was analysed using descriptive statistics of percentage to analysed the research questions and inferential statistics of ANOVA to test the hypotheses formulated for the study. The findings of the study revealed good nutrition is a management factor in reducing diabetes mellitus among aged (F(cal) = 82.268, df (1, 198) and P-value = 0.000 at 0.05 level of significance). Moreover, the finding revealed that regular exercise as a management factor in reducing diabetes mellitus among aged (F(cal) = 75.407, df (1, 198) and P-value = 0.000 at 0.05 level of significance). Finally, the finding revealed that healthy lifestyle is a management factor in reducing diabetes mellitus among aged (F(cal) = 55.328, df (1, 198) and P-value = 0.000 at 0.05 level of significance). The researcher recommended that physicians and Doctors treating diabetic patients after middle age should include the awareness of proper glycemic control aimed at extending healthy life expectancy with proper nutrition, exercise, and social connectivity. Medical Practitioners should encourage individuals to create time to take part in regular physical exercises. Healthy diets, prepared with locally available nutrients, should be consumed to prevent diabetes mellitus. Individuals should live an active life. Health education, with emphasis on a healthy lifestyle, i.e., regular physical exercise and consumption of an appropriate diet, should be transmitted to Nigerians by the local, state, and federal governments.