Compliance with treatment and fear of hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes

Hypoglycaemia fear, treatment adherence, and the quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes and its determinants

AIM

This work aims to evaluate the relationship between the fear of hypoglycaemia, treatment adherence, and the quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its determinants.

METHODS

This descriptive and cross-sectional study sample recruited 1060 T2DM outpatients in a health centre between January and July 2022. The Hypoglycemia Fear Survey (HFS), Type 2 DM Treatment Patient Compliance Scale, and the 5-Level EuroQol 5-Dimension (EQ-5D-5L) were used for data collection.

RESULTS

There was a positive correlation between age, duration of T2DM, and the scores obtained from the HFS and its subscales (p < 0.001). There was a positive, moderate correlation between the total HFS score and the TCS (p < 0.001). There was a negative correlation between the scores obtained from the HFS and the EQ-5D-5L (p < 0.001). The multiple regression analysis showed that the quality of life scores of the patients were significantly predicted by hypoglycaemia fear, duration of T2DM diagnosis, and age. (F = 91.691, p < 0.001). Hypoglycaemia fear, duration of T2DM diagnosis, and age explained 38.1% of the quality of life of patients.

CONCLUSION

We determined that the increase in hypoglycaemia fear resulted in a decrease in treatment adherence. Besides, hypoglycaemia fear increased with increasing age and duration of T2DM diagnosis.

Patient and physician perspectives and experiences of basal insulin titration in type 2 diabetes in the United States: Cross-sectional surveys

AIM

Patient- and physician-associated barriers impact the effectiveness of basal insulin (BI) titration in the management of type 2 diabetes (T2D). We evaluated the experiences of patients with T2D and physicians with BI titration education.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this observational, cross-sectional study, patients with T2D and physicians treating patients with T2D were identified by claims in the Optum Research Database and were invited to complete a survey. Eligible patients had 12 months of continuous health-plan enrolment with medical and pharmacy benefits during the baseline period, and recent initiation of BI therapy. Eligible physicians had initiated BI for ≥1 eligible patient with T2D during the past 6 months.

RESULTS

In total, 416 patients and 386 physicians completed the survey. Ninety per cent of physicians reported treating ≥50 patients with T2D; 66% treated ≥25% of patients with BI. Whereas 74% of patients reported that BI titration was explained to them by a physician, 96% of physicians reported doing so. Furthermore, 20% of patients stated they were offered educational materials whereas 56% of physicians reported having provided materials. Physicians had higher expectations of glycaemic target achievement than were seen in the patient survey; their main concern was the patients' ability to titrate accurately (79%).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a marked difference in patients' and physicians' experiences of BI titration education. Novel tools and strategies are required to enable effective BI titration, with more educational resources at the outset, and ongoing access to tools that provide clear, simple direction for self-titration with less reliance on physicians/health care providers.

A global systematic overview of socioeconomic factors associated with antidiabetic medication adherence in individuals with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Antidiabetic medication adherence is a key aspect for successful control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This systematic review aims to provide an overview of the associations between socioeconomic factors and antidiabetic medication adherence in individuals with T2DM.

METHODS

A study protocol was established using the PRISMA checklist. A primary literature search was conducted during March 2022, searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, as well as WorldCat and the Bielefeld Academic Search Engine. Studies were included if published between 1990 and 2022 and included individuals with T2DM. During primary screening, one reviewer screened titles and abstracts for eligibility, while in the secondary screening, two reviewers worked independently to extract the relevant data from the full-text articles.

RESULTS

A total of 15,128 studies were found in the primary search, and 102 were finally included in the review. Most studies found were cross-sectional (72) and many investigated multiple socioeconomic factors. Four subcategories of socioeconomic factors were identified: economic (70), social (74), ethnical/racial (19) and geographical (18). The majority of studies found an association with antidiabetic medication adherence for two specific factors, namely individuals' insurance status (10) and ethnicity or race (18). Other important factors were income and education.

CONCLUSIONS

A large heterogeneity between studies was observed, with many studies relying on subjective data from interviewed individuals with a potential for recall bias. Several socioeconomic groups influencing medication adherence were identified, suggesting potential areas of intervention for the improvement of diabetes treatment adherence and individuals' long-term well-being.

Factors associated with adherence or nonadherence to insulin therapy among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A scoping review

BACKGROUND AND AIM

One of the greatest barriers to the treatment of T2DM is nonadherence which particularly applies to insulin therapy. There is a need for a comprehensive overview of all factors associated with nonadherence to insulin therapy. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with adherence or nonadherence to insulin therapy among adults with T2DM.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 statement. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Cinahl, and Web of Science (January 2013 to March 2023).

RESULTS

A final sample of 48 studies was included in the scoping review. The synthesis revealed 30 factors associated with adherence or nonadherence. The factors were grouped into 6 themes: demographics, attitude and perceptions, management of diabetes, impact on daily living, disease and medication, and healthcare system.

CONCLUSION

The most prominent factors identified were age, cost of healthcare, personal beliefs towards insulin therapy, social stigma, patient education, complexity of diabetes treatment, impact of insulin therapy on daily life, and fear of side effects. The results indicate a need for further research to determine threshold values for the factors associated with adherence or nonadherence.

Identification of factors associated with fear of hypoglycemia using the capability, opportunity, motivation and behavior model in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study

AIMS

To examined the relationship between fear of hypoglycemia and certain variables in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) based on the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior model, combined with the context unique to people with diabetes to provide a basis for developing targeted nursing interventions.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 212 people with T2DM were recruited from February 2021 to July 2021. Data were collected using the Hypoglycaemia Fear Survey, Gold score, Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) scale and Diabetic Self-Management Attitudes Scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the predictors of fear of hypoglycemia using SPSS 26.0.

RESULTS

The mean fear of hypoglycemia score was 74.88 ± 18.28 (range: 37.00-132.00). In people with T2DM, the frequency of blood glucose monitoring, the frequency of hypoglycemia in the past half-year, degree of understanding of hypoglycemia, impaired awareness of hypoglycemia, PACIC, and self-management attitude of diabetes were the influencing factors of fear of hypoglycemia (adjusted R2 = 0.560, F[21,190] = 13.800, P < 0.001). These variables explained 56.0% of the variance in the fear of hypoglycemia.

CONCLUSIONS

The level of fear of hypoglycemia in people with T2DM was relatively high. In addition to paying attention to the disease characteristics of people with T2DM, medical staff should also pay attention to patients' own perception and handling ability of disease and hypoglycemia, attitude toward self-management behavior and external environment support, all of which have a positive effect on improving the fear of hypoglycemia in people with T2DM, optimizing the self-management level and improving quality of life.

Development and validation of the diabetic self-management scale based on information-motivation-behavioral skills theory

Background

Self-management is important for the blood sugar control of middle-aged and elderly Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, of which diet, exercise, and drug compliance are the most common components. The Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model (IMB) has been widely used in health behavior management and intervention.

Objective

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate the Diabetic Self-Management Scale (DSMS) based on the IMB model.

Methods

Self-report survey data was collected from middle-aged and elderly T2DM patients in Zhongmu City, Henan Province, China in November 2021 using convenience sampling. The original DSMS was developed through a literature review and summary of previous similar scales using an inductive approach. Item modification was finished by a panel of specialists. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to evaluate the reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and criterion validity of DSMS.

Results

Four hundred and sixty nine T2DM patients completed the questionnaire survey. The final DSMS consists of 22 items with three dimensions, including information (five items), motivation (eight items), and behavior skills (nine items). The results of simple factor analysis showed that the KMO value was 0.839, Bartlett spherical test 2 = 3254.872, P < 0.001. The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that 2/df = 2.261, RMSEA = 0.073, CFI = 0.937, TLI = 0.930, and SRMR = 0.096. The standardized factor loadings of 22 DSMS items were all above 0.6, and the CR values of 3 dimensions were all higher than 0.9. In addition, DSMS also showed good discriminant and criterion validity.

Conclusion

The 22-item DSMS has good reliability and validity, and can be used to make diabetic self-management assessment regarding diet, physical activity, and medication among middle-aged and elderly Chinese T2DM patients. DSMS is of moderate length and easy to understand. It can be promoted in China in the future to understand the self-management status of middle-aged and elderly T2DM patients in China.

Potential mechanisms for poor glycaemic control in patients with type two diabetes and fear of hypoglycaemia

Purpose

The current study aimed to explore the potential effect of diabetes-related distress on the association between fear of hypoglycaemia and poor glycaemic control. We evaluated the specific aspects of fear of hypoglycaemia that affect glycaemic control among Saudi patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods

Descriptive cross-sectional survey of patients with T2D attending a specialist diabetes clinic in Taif, Saudi Arabia. We used the Hypoglycaemia Attitudes and Behaviour Scale (HABS) for assessing fear of hypoglycaemia among our sample. We used Structural Equation Modelling to evaluate the moderators and correlates of fear of hypoglycaemia.

Results

We surveyed 365 patients with T2D. Cronbach's alpha for the HABS assessment was 0.84, an indication of excellent internal consistency. The composite reliability for hypoglycaemic anxiety was 86.8%; hypoglycaemic avoidance was 85.2%; and hypoglycaemic confidence was 92.6%. The mean HABS score was 32.7 points (out of 70 points; SD = 9.8 points). Fear of hypoglycaemia was associated with increased levels of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), presence of eye disease, heart disease, and stroke. Fear of hypoglycaemia was associated with poor glycaemic control. No significant moderating effect of diabetes-related distress was observed. However, only hypoglycaemic anxiety and avoidance were associated with poor glycaemic control. Confidence in the ability to control low glucose levels was not associated with elevated HbA1c levels.

Conclusion

A significant finding of this study highlighted the considerable and direct effect of fear of hypoglycaemia on poor glycaemic control among patients with T2D. However, only fear-related anxiety and avoidance-and not confidence in the ability to control low glucose levels-had an effect on poor glycaemic control.

Exercise Adherence and Compliance and Its Related Factors Among Elderly Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE

To explore exercise adherence and compliance as well as its related factors among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to provide a basis for clinical intervention strategies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The present study was a cross-sectional study of 205 elderly patients with T2DM who regularly visited a Shanghai community health center from August 2020 to July 2021. Exercise adherence and compliance was measured using an exercise adherence and compliance questionnaire, and potential correlates were explored using multiple linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

The mean total score of the exercise adherence and compliance questionnaire was 16.72±5.08. The stepwise regression results revealed that exercise adherence and compliance was positively correlated with self-monitoring (F=3.510, P=0.005), exercise knowledge (r=0.784, P<0.001), exercise willingness (r=0.556, P<0.001), professional support (r=0.426, P<0.001), and self-efficiency (r=0.5, P<0.001). There was a negative correlation between hypoglycemia and exercise adherence and compliance (F=-3.672, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Low exercise adherence and compliance was related to low glucose self-monitoring frequency, increased hypoglycemia, less exercise knowledge, less exercise willingness, less professional support, and less self-efficiency. When developing exercise instructions adapted to the cognitive and volitional needs of diabetic patients, it is essential to focus on their daily self-management habits and extrinsic motivation to improve exercise adherence and compliance.