Medical discourse analysis impacted diabetes seriousness perception

Abstract

Presently, the quantity of patients with Diabetes Mellitus disease is highly increasing. According to the information from the Ministry of Public Health, it is estimated that the quantity of patients with Diabetes Mellitus will increase by 246 Million persons. If any preventive measure has not been implemented or the world people are not appropriately educated with the knowledge on this disease, it will result in the fact that a number of patients with Diabetes Mellitus will increase by 55% or 380 Million in the year 2025 (http://www.rv19.com/s/prg/87695/ retrieved on September 12th, 2009). The researcher has collected the basic survey data about the Diabetes Mellitus disease and found that patients with Diabetes Mellitus have to change their eating behavior or other behaviors, which directly impact their daily life. In addition, it takes a long time to cure, resulting in spending a lot of money for treatment. Furthermore, patients with this disease are at risk to have other complicated diseases such as hyperlipidemia, heart disease, high blood pressure. Furthermore, if Diabetes symptom affects the eyes, it causes blindness if any appropriate treatment is not taken. Diabetes Mellitus disease sounds rather familiar for the researcher and sees that this is not a severe disease. It is because this disease can be cured. It was not until the researcher has come to know the news and information mentioning the severity of this disease and that this is listed in first ranks of serious disease in Thai society. In regard to the language or message that a medical organization used for giving information about the Diabetes Mellitus disease, most of the language used is concerned with the use of words, statements, or announcements as found in any media or lecture for the purposes of giving knowledge and pointing out of the significance of the Diabetes Mellitus disease including the behavioral practice and preventive measures for this disease as well. From the information about the Diabetes Mellitus disease given, the writer is aware of the use of the language and processes by which the doctor or the specialist use for presentation of language, i.e. in which forms it is conveyed, what is a pattern of the languages and words that are used, how the information is arranged for its priority, etc. They all are in order that the message or information conveyance is effective for the receiver, according to the actual purposes of the conveyor. is due to the fact that the opinion and attitude of the Diabetes Mellitus patients, who are directly suffered by the symptoms of the disease, are a clear reflection of the disease seriousness. The researcher, therefore, studies also the discourse of the Diabetes Mellitus patients since the researcher believes that the result of the aforesaid discourse can be used as information to spread the knowledge to people. Thus, people will be more aware of the seriousness of the disease and will then pay more attention to their health.