To investigate and characterise general and diabetes‐specific worries related to COVID‐19 among people with diabetes in Denmark during the first 3 months of the pandemic. In a longitudinal study from March to June 2020, six online questionnaires (Q1–Q6) were distributed to 2430 adult members of two diabetes panels. Worries related to COVID‐19 were measured with closed‐ and open‐ended items. Data from closed‐ended items were analysed descriptively. Open‐ended responses were analysed with systematic text condensation. Using chi‐squared tests, changes in proportions of worries over time were analysed, and differences in diabetes‐specific worries by gender and diabetes diagnosis were explored. At Q1, 1366 individuals returned a response (Q2: 1082, Q3: 992, Q4: 977, Q5: 901, Q6: 816). In the beginning of the pandemic, 2 weeks after the first lockdown in Denmark, the most frequently reported general worries related to someone close becoming seriously ill, changes in daily life such as limitations on social interactions and uncertainty about the duration of those changes. The most frequently reported diabetes‐specific worries were about severity of illness with COVID‐19 due to diabetes, being identified as a member of a group at risk for COVID‐19 and being unable to manage diabetes if ill with COVID‐19. All concerns decreased over 3 months, as the society gradually reopened, except for persistent worries about being able to manage diabetes if ill with COVID‐19. More women and people with type 1 diabetes reported worries, compared with men and people with type 2 diabetes. Our study highlights the diversity of worries related to the COVID‐19 pandemic among people with diabetes and changing patterns of worry over time and across subgroups as the society reopened in Denmark. These insights can be helpful when providing support for people with diabetes during health crises.
Background: Previous research has shown that users of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among people with multiple sclerosis are more likely to be women and to have a higher level of education compared with nonusers. This qualitative study was performed to explore the motivations linked to CAM use among highly educated women with multiple sclerosis. Methods: The study was based on a phenomenological approach, and 8 semistructured, in-depth qualitative interviews were performed. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed through meaning condensation and identification of recurring themes. Results: Regarding the informants’ motivations for CAM use, 3 main themes emerged: (1) self-reliance is essential in disease management, (2) conventional health care lacks a holistic approach, and (3) personal experience is the primary guide. Conclusions: The interviewees wanted approaches to health care that supported their desire to actively participate in the management of their disease. They were critical of the conventional health care system, and they emphasized the importance of letting their own personal experiences, as well as those of others, guide their decisions.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.