Exploración de una estrategia alterna para la integración activa del paciente en el tratamiento de la diabetes: investigación en acción participativa, educación y actividad física

Abstract

In the world, diabetes disease affects about 347 millions of people, according to the World Health Organization, (WHO). In the United States, this disease has increased from 5.6 millions in 1980 to 20.9 in 2011 (Centers for Disease Control, CDC, 2013). Moreover, the Hispanic group has the greatest rate of increase, specially puertorricans. In Puerto Rico, 2011, 13.5% of the adult population was diagnosed with diabetes. The development of cardiovascular and chronic kidney diseases, sometimes prematurely, is the most significant complications of the diabetes. Therefore, exploring alternative strategies that will help in the prevention of diabetes is of utmost importance. Physical activity/exercise can be used for primary and secondary prevention. Clinical investigations have shown the effectiveness of physical activity/exercise interventions in clinical outcomes in diabetics. However, these patients remain living a sedentary lifestyle. In this article, a description of a new strategy model, participatory action research and social marketing, to establish physical/activity as viable tool for the prevention and treatment of diabetes disease is presented, changing the biomedical model of treatment currently used.