Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: yein@upm.edu.my
  • 2 Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Prim Care Diabetes, 2014 Apr;8(1):49-55.
PMID: 24315732 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcd.2013.11.003

Abstract

Aims: To explore how health care professionals (HCPs) assess patients when initiating insulintherapy in type 2 diabetes.
Methods: Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted with 41 healthcare professionals in Malaysia in 2010–2011. A semi-structured topic guide was used for theinterview. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using the Nvivo9 softwarebased on a thematic approach.
Results: HCPs were less likely to initiate insulin therapy in patients who were older, withirregular dietary patterns and poor financial status. They also assessed patients’ knowl-edge, views and misconceptions of insulin. However, there was a variation in how doctors assessed patients’ comorbidities before starting insulin therapy. Medical officers were more likely to initiate insulin therapy in patients with comorbidities and complications, whereas family medicine specialists were more cautious. In addition, most HCPs considered patients’ psychosocial status, including self-care ability, social support and quality of life.
Conclusions: HCPs’ assessment of patients’ need to start insulin therapy depends on their perception rather than objective evaluation of patients’ background, knowledge, perception and abilities. The background and the type of practice of HCPs influence their assessment.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.