Perspectives of Persons With Type 2 Diabetes Toward Diabetes Self-Management: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background. The global increase in type 2 diabetes (T2D) poses a significant public health challenge worldwide. Due to the chronic and complex nature of the disease, management does not depend on pharmacotherapy alone; rather, a comprehensive medical and self-management plan is required. Diabetes Self-Management Education programs should address diabetes-specific behaviors and be grounded in patients’ perceptions of their disease and its consequences. Aim. The study aims to understand perceptions of diabetes self-management (DSM) among persons of different nationalities with T2D living in Qatar. Method. A phenomenological qualitative study was implemented using four focus group interviews using Triandis Interpersonal Behavior Model to understand factors influencing DSM perceptions and behaviors. Therefore, deductive content analysis was used, also inductive content analysis used to find new emerging themes. Twenty-nine participants with T2D of 12 different nationalities were recruited. Results. Content analyses revealed that participants were mainly motivated to manage their diabetes by fear of future health complications—and the resulting impact on their families—triggered by witnessing these complications on other family members and friends. Factors that influenced DSM included cultural factors such as food content and holidays’ customs, weather conditions, psychological distress, and social factors such as lack of family support. Furthermore, access to healthy food, number of working hours and time, and cost of DSM supplies were found to be among the barriers to DSM. Conclusion. Understanding and considering patients’ perspectives is a core component of culturally competent and evidence-based DSM programs, and it should be considered in any DSM program.

Nigerian Health Care Providers and Diabetes Self-Management Support: Their Perspectives and Practices

“…For example, the participants facilitated social support by encouraging family participation. Like this study, others have reported both supportive and discouraging effects of family involvement in diabetes management in Africa, and other parts of the world ( Abdulrehman et al, 2019 ; Bross et al, 2022 ; Chepulis et al, 2021 ; Mogre et al, 2019 ; Othman et al, 2022 ; Suglo, & Evans, 2020 ; Werfalli et al, 2020 ), necessitating the need for not only involving families in patient education but also educating them on how to prevent diabetes for themselves, as well as how to support a family member living with diabetes ( Thirsk & Schick-Makaroff, 2021 ).…”

Diabetes Self-Management and Health-Related Quality of Life among Primary Care Patients with Diabetes in Qatar: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Barriers to DSM have been reported extensively in the literature. Locally, in Qatar, a qualitative study shed light on the barriers reported by 29 participants with diabetes [ 24 ]. The authors found similar barriers reported in other studies, such as work-related stress, the cost of testing strips, and long working hours; all external barriers.…”

“…The authors found similar barriers reported in other studies, such as work-related stress, the cost of testing strips, and long working hours; all external barriers. However, with Qatar being a country that hosts 94 other nationalities, culture also plays a major role in how individuals with diabetes perceive their DSM [ 24 ].…”

Social connectedness and diabetes self-management across the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods study.

“…Patients who self-reported that they were married were coded as present on home social connectedness whereas patients who self-reported as single, divorced, or widowed were coded as absent on home social connectedness. Second, we operationalized workplace social connectedness as employment status since workplace structure and coworker social support impact self-management behavior (Bose, 2013; Loerbroks et al, 2018; McCarthy et al, 2021; Othman et al, 2022; Sarkar et al, 2016). Patients who reported working part time, working full time, or as a student were coded as present on workplace social connectedness.…”

“…For individuals who are physically present in the workforce, workplace structure and coworker social support can positively impact self-management behavior (Bose, 2013; McCarthy et al, 2021; Sarkar et al, 2016). While at work, patients living with diabetes report structural factors of the workplace as barriers to self-management, including nonroutine work, irregular working hours, and reduced access to healthy food (Loerbroks et al, 2018; Othman et al, 2022).…”