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Type 1 Diabetes Association (ADA)

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Type 1 diabetes is a serious chronic condition that tends to arise prior to adulthood. The disease requires substantial lifestyle changes in order to cope, and can lead to several debilitating outcomes if left unchecked. According to the American Diabetes Association ([ADA], 2017), Type 1 diabetes is defined as a chronic condition where the body no longer produces the insulin hormone, and is therefore unable to utilize and store glucose. As a result, individuals with Type 1 diabetes may experience excessively high or low blood glucose levels: hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia respectively (ADA, 2017). Both sides of the spectrum can have devastating effects on the body’s cardiovascular and renal activities, in addition to deteriorating the peripheral …show more content…

As of 2012 an estimated 29 million Americans had diabetes, but only about 5% had Type 1 diabetes (ADA, 2016). However, the age curve for Type 1 diabetes differs drastically from that of Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is more prevalent in children and young adults, and the incidence in these age groups was more than triple that of Type 2 in 2009 (ADA, 2016). It is known that the average college student will attend school between the years of 18 and roughly 22, as a unwelcome side effect of most Type 1 cases being diagnosed by age 20, many students experience onset of Type 1 during their college career (Fredette, Mawn, Hood, & Fain, 2016). Unfortunately, the statistics are not clear as to how many students are diagnosed with Type 1 during their college years, but instead are dominated by estimates of the total population. As a result there is a shortage of studies focusing on the effects and outcomes of onset during college …show more content…

Namely, islet transplantation and viral triggers are among some of the hottest topics in the field of endocrinology. Nevertheless, since Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, it makes it rather difficult to identify the underlying mechanisms leading to onset. Notably, Fredette et al. (2016), conducted a study on students with Type 1 and found that they had difficulty in certain academic situations, and found it challenging to establish care routines that accommodated their social life. Lin et al. (2016), conducted a thorough observational study where patients with Type 1 were enrolled in a diabetes disease management program, which demonstrated improved management of their condition. A general survey of the research articles available identifies that education and development of good management practices are the most studied interventions, and while the causes remain to be revealed, environmental triggers have been strongly

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