Type 2 Diabetes

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Overview 

     Type 2 Diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, and occurs when the body can not regulate and use sugar (glucose) as fuel. There is a lack of insulin (a hormone made by the pancreases) resistance caused by the pancreases failing to function properly resulting in too much sugar circulating in the blood (Chatterjee, Khunti, & Davies, 2017).  Blood sugar or blood glucose is the main source energy that comes from the food you eat. Obesity is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. When blood sugar is consistently too high, other health complications may arise. When someone with type 2 diabetes does not manager their blood sugar levels, it could lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, foot problems, eye disease, gum disease, sexual and bladder problems (Basu,2017). Treatment for type 2 diabetes include medications such as insulin, and pill forms. You can also manage type 2 diabetes by lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet, managing your carb and calorie intake, exercising, and monitoring your glucose levels. 

Legal and Ethical Concerns 

There has been laws put in place to protect the rights of people with type 2 diabetes. The Americans with Disabilities Act and it's 2008 amendments gave people with diabetes greater rights and employment opportunities (Griffin,2013). that civil rights law made it unlawful to discriminate against  " qualified" workers with disabilities. Workers with diabetes are covered under the Americans Act. Before the amendment in 2008, employers questioned if diabetes was an actual disability, leaving many with diabetes unprotected. The amendments made in 2008 broadened the act's coverage by requiring conditions that impair the functioning of the endocrine system be considered a disability, which diabetes meet that criteria. The advancement in glucose monitoring and medications help people with diabetes control it better, allowing them to be able to work jobs that were once off limits to them. 

As the number of people who develop type 2 diabetes increases, the greater chance it will have a serious impact on our country's health-care system raising many ethical and social issues (Gupta, Gupta, & Arora, nd). The ethical issues raised by diabetes include understanding and addressing limitations in research, such as analyzing the impacts of patents on genes related to diabetes; assessing challenges of getting new technology approved by the government; conflicts of interest in research and medicine; protecting the rights of human subjects including genetics based research on collected or stored tissue samples (Gupta, Gupta, & Arora, nd)

Is Meeting the Letter of the Law Sufficient and Discuss and Illustrate the Spirit of the Law

Despite the changes to the Americans with Disability Act, there are many employers who continue to use blanket bans or ill-considered standards to bar people with diabetes (Griffin,2013).The efforts are ongoing to make changes for the barriers put in place. There has been a great advancement in the employment opportunities for people with diabetes over the years, and a lot of legal barriers have been removed. Today people with diabetes are holding safety- sensitive positions that were once off limits to them ( Griffin, 2013). The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces the employment provisions of the ADA. Title 1 of the ADA limits an employer's ability to ask questions related to diabetes and other disabilities and to conduct medical examinations at three stages: pre-offer, post-offer, and during employment (U.S. EEOC,2013). 

Potential Issues Impact on the Individual 

Although there has been a significant change in laws to support people with type 2 diabetes, individuals can still experience discrimination. The the worker is qualified and the employer refuses to allow them to work because of safety concerns, the employer must prove the worker is incapable by obtaining medical information (Griffin, 2013). There are still employers that base their employment decisions on outdated medicine, or uninformed medical opinions which could impact a a person with type 2 diabetes negatively.

Impact on Family/Friend, Environment, and Society

The laws in place to protect people with disabilities has a great impact on society, environment, friends and family of people suffering from type 2 diabetes. A lot of people of uneducated about type 2 diabetes and may not even be aware that it is a disability. With laws in place to protect people with type 2 diabetes, accommodations can be made in the workplace, in public, and amongst family and friends. Some people with diabetes wear a bracelet that indicates they have diabetes so that others are aware in case of an emergency with their blood sugar being too low or too high.  

References

Gupta, V., Gupta, M., & Arora, S. (n.d.). [PDF] diabetes : Ethical issues: Semantic scholar. [PDF] Diabetes : Ethical Issues | Semantic Scholar. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Diabetes-%3A-Ethical-Issues-Gupta-Gupta/85abe87724c9a186e9d69d5811593b385bbcb328

Issuing Authority This technical assistance document was issued upon approval of the Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission., & This technical assistance document was issued upon approval of the Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2013, May 15). Diabetes in the workplace and the Ada. US EEOC. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/diabetes-workplace-and-ada

JW;, G. (2013, March 1). Employment rights of people with diabetes: Changing Technology and changing law. Journal of diabetes science and technology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23566991/