The Weight of Words: Indian Physicians' Perspectives on Patient Communication to Promote Diabetes Adherence

Experiences and expectations of physician communication: A focus group discussion with Indian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVES

This pilot study aimed to: (a) understand the experiences of Indian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and their expectations of their physicians during a medical consultation, (b) serve as a preliminary study to inform the development of a larger project exploring and improving patients' communication experiences, and (c) assess whether the pilot study findings indicate the viability of using the Relationship: Establishment, Development, and Engagement model of communication as the conceptual framework for the larger project.

METHODS

Using convenience sampling, 11 patients participated in a focus group discussion. Conventional content analysis was used.

RESULTS

Two themes were generated: (a) A plethora of negative feelings: experiences of the physician's verbal and nonverbal communication styles, and (b) 'I know what I want': Expectations of communication by patients from their physician.

CONCLUSIONS

The medical encounter with the physician elicited a range of negative experiences and clear expectations from the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This pilot points to the need for (a) a mixed methods approach to comprehensively examine the communication needs of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus from their physician, (b) understand physicians' communication practices, and (c) using these findings, culturally adapt and test the Relationship: Establishment, Development, and Engagement to improve physicians' communication skills in India.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors towards Proper Nutrition and Lifestyles in Italian Diabetic Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Prevention of diabetes mellitus is mainly based on a healthy lifestyle. The lockdown measures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in major changes in daily life and social behavior, which may have an influence on diabetes self-management and glycemic control. The present work aims to assess the relationship between diabetic patients' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards proper nutrition and lifestyles in order to plan strategies for educational intervention from a health literacy perspective. Attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge of diabetic patients attending the Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases Department of the Local Health Authority of Sassari (ASL1-SS) were assessed with a cognitive survey conducted from April to July 2022. Three hundred twenty-one questionnaires were administered during the survey period. Fifty-two percent of diabetic patients were female and 48% male, with a mean age of 61.1 ± 18.5 years and 62.0 ± 15.1 years, respectively. The overall level of knowledge about the role of food and proper nutrition with respect to the risk of diabetes and its complications appeared to be generally unsatisfactory and inadequate. Nonetheless, females showed a significantly higher level of knowledge than males (p < 0.0001). Moreover, knowledge was seen to decrease according to the age of the patients (p = 0.035). As for the possible impact played by the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyles, it should be noted that about 70% of the respondents stated that they had maintained a reasonable dietary standard or even improved it throughout. Thus, the study underlines the need to improve the knowledge of diabetic subjects about nutrition and, in particular, their self-management, positively influencing behaviors and attitudes.