Experiences of food abstinence in patients with type 2 diabetes: a qualitative study

Sufferings of its consequences; patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in North-East Ethiopia, A qualitative investigation

Background

The burden of diabetes in Ethiopia is exponentially increasing with more than 68% of people with it being undiagnosed and a death rate of 32%. It is a disease impacting patients with negative somatic, psychological, social, and economic consequences. Patients in Ethiopia have very low awareness about chronic complications, which is very worrying. The study aimed to explore the consequences of their disease experienced by type 2 diabetes patients in North-East Ethiopia.

Methods

The study employed a phenomenological approach informed by the consequences dimension of the Common-Sense Model. It was conducted from July 2019 to January 2020 using purposive sampling with face-to-face in-depth interviews, for about three weeks, until reaching theoretical saturation. The data were collected from twenty-four type 2 diabetes patients, who were selected to include various socio-demographic characteristics. The data were organized by QDA Miner Lite v2.0.8 and analyzed thematically using narrative strategies.

Results

Using Common-Sense Model as a framework, the diabetes consequences experienced by the participants were categorized as complications and impacts. While the most common complications were cardiovascular disorders (hypertension, erectile dysfunction, heart and kidney problems, hyperlipidemia, edema, stroke, and fatigue) and ocular problems; the most common impacts were psychosocial (dread in life, suffering, family disruption, hopelessness, dependency, and craving), and economic (incapability and loss of productivity) problems.

Conclusion

The patients here were bothered by diabetes complications as well as its psycho-social, economic and somatic consequences; being the psycho-social impacts the most common. As a result, the patients have been suffering in the dread of “what can come next?” This dictates that holistic care, based on Common-Sense Model, is needed in providing special emphasis to psycho-social issues.

Exploring the barriers and facilitators of dietary self-care for type 2 diabetes: a qualitative study in Ghana

Background: There is an increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) globally and countries in Sub Sahara Africa, such as Ghana are contending with the epidemic. The main objective ofthis study was to explore the barriers and facilitators of T2D self-care as perceived by patients and health providers (HPs) in Ghana. Methods: A maximum variation sample of 33 adult patients with a range of demographic features, diabetic conditions and self-care regimens and 3 providers were purposely selected from the specialist diabetes clinic of a private hospital in Accra, Ghana. Data were collected using in-depth interviews, which were recorded and transcribed; and non-participant observational field notes-that were analyzed thematically through directed content analysis. Results: The findings reveal that T2D adult patients face many inter-related challenges to diabetes self-care, than enabling factors that fell into four major domains:1) the counselling process and context (patients missing follow-up appointments, unacceptance of diagnosis); 2)recommended food and diet regimens (changing habitual diets, dislike and confusion about recommended diets); 3) social aspects (social functions interfering with dietary regimens, family members diverting patient from dietary goals) and 4) fears (non-disclosure to family member/pretense of being well). Conclusion: Integrated self-management interventions are needed to address these barriers, including tailoring dietary education to patients' specific needs, guiding patients on how tomanage diet during social occasions and among family members; and as well, providing mental health support. Future research should focus on T2D self-care behaviours and practices outside the clinic, including home, work and shopping environments.

Identification of Family Factors That Affect Self-Management Behaviors Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Qualitative Descriptive Study in Chinese Communities

INTRODUCTION

In the past 30 years, the prevalence of diabetes in China has increased from 0.67% to 11.6%. Self-management behaviors (SMBs) are significant to improve health outcomes for diabetics. However, little is known about self-management experiences of Chinese diabetic patients. The purpose of this study was to explore family factors affecting SMBs.

METHODOLOGY

A qualitative descriptive study was used. Purposive samples were recruited from Chinese communities. Semistructured interviews were conducted, and audio-recordings transcripts were analyzed using content analysis methods.

RESULTS

Twenty participants were interviewed, including 8 with well-controlled HbA1c while 12 were poorly controlled. Facilitators that promote patients' SMBs were responsibility toward children and commitment to spouse; barriers that hinder patients' SMBs were family experiences about starvation, seeking harmony-eating in a big family, living in an "empty nest," and family financial burden.

DISCUSSION

This study provides insight into SMBs of Chinese diabetic patients. Professionals can develop tailored interventions in a Chinese cultural context according to patients' perceptions of family responsibility, early experience, activities, and resources.

Self-reported adherence to diet and preferences towards type of meal plan in patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Few studies have evaluated the attitudes of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) towards the given dietary plans. In this study, we aimed to evaluate: i) the self-reported adherence of T2DM patients to the prescribed diets; ii) the use of other types of diet schemes; iii) the patients' preferences towards the type of meal plans.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A 16 multiple-choice items questionnaire was administered to 500 T2DM patients; 71.2% (356/500) of them had the perception of having received a dietary plan; only 163/356 declared to be fully adherent. The latter had lower BMI (25.8 ± 4.5 vs 29.1 ± 4.5 kg/m², p < 0.001) than patients who were partly adherent. Among patients not following the given diet, 61.8% was eating in accordance to a self-made diet and 20.9% did not follow any diet. Only a few patients (2.4%) had tried a popular diet/commercial program. Most patients preferred either a "sufficiently free" (201/500) or a "free" (218/500) scheme. The use of supplements attracted younger, obese individuals, with higher education, and most managers. In a multinomial regression model, age and diabetes duration were inversely associated with the choice of a "rigid" scheme, diabetes duration and glycated hemoglobin levels were inversely correlated with a "free" diet choice, obesity was associated with a "strategic" scheme choice, while lower education (inversely) and obesity (directly) correlated with the preference for "supplement use".

CONCLUSIONS

Socio-cultural/individual factors could affect attitudes and preferences of T2DM patients towards diet. These factors should be considered in order to draw an individually tailored dietary plan.