Insulin-treated diabetic patients: Use of, experience of and attitudes to diabetes care

• Published in: The European Journal of Public Health
• Main Authors: GAFVELS, CATHARINA M., LITHNER, POLKE G.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 1996
• Subjects: Articles; Northern Sweden
• Online Access: http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/6/4/262; https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/6.4.262

Attitudes to and perception of health care delivery are considered to be important factors for patient compliance in diabetes. To Investigate insulin-treated diabetic patients' use of, experience of and attitudes to diabetes care a questionnaire was sent to 561 patients, 20–50 years old, living in northern Sweden. Four hundred and eighty-eight patients (87%) participated in the study. Data were analysed against social, medical and geographical background factors. Female patients more often than men had seen an ophthalmologist (93 versus 87%, p<0.05), a diabetes nurse specialist (74 versus 64%, p<0.05) and a chiropodist (49 versus 30%, p<0.001) at least once during the course of their diabetes. Women also used the services of a medical social worker (17 versus 10%, p-0.05) or a psychologist (14 versus 8%, p<0.01) more often. More men than women were satisfied with the health care they had at the onset (65 versus 38%, p<0.001), but no gender difference in attitude to their present care was found. Diabetic patients with chronic complications compared to those without were less satisfied both with the care they received at the onset of diabetes (40 versus 61%, p<0.001) and at the time they answered the questionnaire (59 versus 72%, p<0.01). Patients in the most sparsely populated health district were more seldom able to be seen by the same physician (70 versus 93% and 94%, p<0.001) and patient-physician continuity was poorer over a 3 year period (48 versus 80%, p<0.001). Based on results of this study, we conclude that use of, experience of and attitudes to diabetes care are primarily related to gender and sickness factors. Living in sparsely populated areas probably affects the use and continuity of hearth care depending on the means available. The differences demonstrated might be an argument for planning more individualized care for diabetic patients in the future.