11/21/2011 Translation Experience

On November 21, 2011, I volunteered at the San Jose Clinic with an endocrinologist. The major problems we saw were diabetic patients who were non-compliant with treatments and life style changes. These patients were reluctant to be on exercise programs and sometimes did not take the medication prescribed to them. The patients complained of the worse pains they were feeling - including exacerbated symptoms of numbness in the extremities suggesting diabetic neuropathy - but it was difficult to feel sympathy for them when they did not keep up with the medications that they received free of charge nor make the effort to change diets and increase daily exercise that they were instructed to do with the help of a dietician. It is understandable that it is difficult to make such changes when poverty may not allow the time nor resources, but the patients did not seem to budge from their normal routines. This experience was important to see that not all patients are complaint with treatments, and that there may be problems with communication of the severity of the disease or the importance of the treatment and life style changes. It would be interesting to investigate this further, maybe even find a way to research the effectiveness of doctor-patient communication.