Perceptions of Caribbean type 2 diabetes patients on self-monitoring of blood glucose

Abstract

Context: The views of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients have not been considered in the debate on the role of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) in the management of T2DM.

Objective: To assess the views of T2DM patients on SMBG.

Methods: Two previously trained research assistants used a structured pre-tested questionnaire to interview 416 T2DM patients practising SMBG in out-patient clinics in the privacy of the patients after they have consented to be interviewed.

Results: 79% of patients were unemployed with mean duration of diabetes of 11.8 ± 0.5 year. 94% of patients did not have health insurance policies while 86% did not belong to any diabetes support group. Although 70% of the patients identified SMBG as expensive, 94% believed it assists glycaemic control, while 89% thought it was worth the expense.

Conclusion: Caribbean T2DM patients believe SMBG was beneficial for the management of their diabetes and empowering them may reduce diabetes complications.

Keywords::

• Developing countries
• cardiovascular disease
• self-management
• diabetes complications
• type 2 diabetes

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a research grant from the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus. The nursing staff of Lifestyle Disease Clinics in all the Regional Health Authorities assisted professionally while the Office of the Diabetes Association of Trinidad and Tobago assisted with important research information and meeting logistics.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.