Patients’ attitudes to the use of modern technologies in the treatment of diabetes

Figures & data

Table 1 Basic characteristics of the respondents

Characteristics	T1DM (N=142)		T2DM (N=168)		Other types (N=3)		Total (N=313)
	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent
Age (years)
Up to 15	14	9.9	X	X	X	X	14	4.5
15–25	42	29.6	X	X	X	X	42	13.4
25–30	19	13.4	1	0.6	X	X	20	6.4
30–40	32	22.5	11	6.5	1	33.3	44	14.1
40–50	11	7.7	29	17.3	1	33.3	41	13.1
>50	24	16.9	127	75.6	1	33.3	152	48.6
Gender
Male	52	36.6	80	47.6	X	X	132	42.2
Female	90	63.4	88	52.4	3	100	181	57.8
Education
Basic/vocational	39	27.5	62	36.9	1	33.3	102	32.6
Secondary	50	35.2	60	35.7	X	X	110	35.1
Higher/some higher	37	26.1	45	26.8	2	66.7	84	26.8
Still studying	16	11.3	1	0.6	X	X	17	5.4
Residence place
Urban	82	57.7	102	60.7	2	66.7	186	59.4
Rural (till 10,000 inhabitants)	60	42.3	66	39.3	1	33.3	127	40.6
Technical skills assessment
Weak	1	0.7	X	X	X	X	1	0.3
Basic	19	13.4	46	27.4	1	33.3	66	21.1
User	88	62.0	103	61.3	2	66.7	193	61.7
Expert	34	23.9	19	11.3	X	X	53	16.9
Use smartphone
Yes	106	74.6	83	49.4	2	66.7	191	61.0
No	36	25.4	85	50.6	1	33.3	122	39.0
Have personal glucose meter
Yes	135	95.1	145	86.3	2	66.7	282	90.1
No	7	4.9	23	13.7	1	33.3	31	9.9

Note: X= no respondents, no answers.

Abbreviations: T1DM, type 1 diabetes mellitus; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Table 2 Health information

Complication connected with diabetes	T1DM		T2DM		Other types		Total
	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent
Yes	26	18.3	40	23.8	1	33.3	67	21.4
No	116	81.7	128	76.2	2	66.7	246	78.6
Time of diagnosis of diabetes
<1 year	14	9.9	14	8.3	1	33.3	29	9.3
1–5 years	34	23.9	63	37.5	1	33.3	98	31.3
5–10 years	35	24.6	46	27.4	1	33.3	82	26.2
>10 years	59	41.5	45	26.8	X	X	104	33.2
Do you know your HbA1c
Yes	131	92.3	143	85.1	1	33.3	275	87.9
No	11	7.7	25	14.9	2	66.7	38	12.1
Level of HbA1c
<45 mmol/mol	12	8.5	15	8.9	1	33.3	28	8.9
45–50 mmol/mol	17	12.0	25	14.9	X	X	42	13.4
50–55 mmol/mol	24	16.9	19	11.3	X	X	43	13.7
55–60 mmol/mol	30	21.1	25	14.9	X	X	55	17.6
60–70 mmol/mol	30	21.1	39	23.2	X	X	69	22.0
70–80 mmol/mol	11	7.7	15	8.9	X	X	26	8.3
>80 mmol/mol	7	4.9	5	3.0	X	X	12	3.8
I do not know	11	7.7	25	14.9	2	66.7	38	12.1
Diabetes treatment
Insulin pump	61	43.0	4	2.4	X	X	65	20.8
Insulin pen	63	44.4	21	12.5	X	X	84	26.8
Diet	X	X	3	1.8	1	33.3	4	1.3
Medication for diabetes	13	9.2	92	54.8	2	66.7	107	34.2
Medication for diabetes combined with insulin	5	3.5	48	28.6	X	X	53	16.9

Note: X= no respondents, no answers.

Abbreviations: HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; T1DM, type 1 diabetes mellitus; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Table 3 Patients’ attitude to data recording and personal monitoring

Frequency of blood glucose level measurements	T1DM		T2DM		Other types		Total
	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent
<1 per week	15	10.6	61	36.3	2	66.7	78	24.9
1 per week	11	7.7	38	22.6	X	X	49	15.7
2–4 per week	11	7.7	40	23.8	1	33.3	52	16.6
1 per day	12	8.5	13	7.7	X	X	25	8.0
2–3 per day	41	28.9	11	6.5	X	X	52	16.6
4+ per day	52	36.6	5	3.0	X	X	57	18.2
Data record
No record	28	19.7	60	35.7	1	33.3	89	28.4
Paper diary	81	57.0	91	54.2	2	66.7	174	55.6
Data fed manually into the computer	7	4.9	9	5.4	X	X	16	5.1
Downloading data into the computer	16	11.3	7	4.2	X	X	23	7.3
Data fed manually into the cell phone	8	5.6	1	0.6	X	X	9	2.9
Downloading data into the cell phone	2	1.4	X	X	X	X	2	0.6
Monitoring individual areas
Blood glucose	129	90.8	123	73.2	1	33.3	253	80.8
Weight	78	54.9	132	78.6	2	66.7	212	67.7
Carbohydrates intake	97	68.3	67	39.9	X	X	164	52.4
Insulin dosage	114	80.3	52	31.0	X	X	166	53.0
Physical activity	80	56.3	77	45.8	1	33.3	158	50.5

Note: X= no respondents, no answers.

Abbreviations: T1DM, type 1 diabetes mellitus; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Table 4 Absolute and relative frequency of smartphone owners according to the type of diabetes

Smartphone owners	T1DM		T2DM		Other types		Total
	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent	Frequency	Percent
Yes	106	74.6	83	49.4	2	66.7	191	61
No	36	25.4	85	50.6	1	33.3	122	39
Total	142	100	168	100	3	100	313	100

Abbreviations: T1DM, type 1 diabetes mellitus; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Figure 1 Relative frequency of using modern devices.

Abbreviation: CGM, continuous glucose monitoring.

Table 5 Overview of testing hypothesis (comparing T2DM and T1DM)

Indicator; hypothesis (H0: P1 = P2 vs H1: P1 > P2a)	P-value for T1DM and T2DM	P-value	Conclude H1 at 5% significance?
Knowledge of the last HbA1c level	P1=0.923	0.0254	Yes
	P2=0.851
	N=310
Record glucose level (only patients who have own glucose meter)	P1=0.803	0.0145	Yes
	P2=0.643
	N=280
Source of information other than the physician	P1=0.894	0.0036	Yes
	P2=0.78
	N=310
Frequencies of measuring glucose level (only insulin treatment or with combination with insulin treatment)
4+ per day	P1=0.403	0.000	Yes
	P2=0.068
	N=202
2–3 per day	P1=0.318	0.000	Yes
	P2=0.137
	N=145
1 per day (H0: P1 = P2 vs H1: P1 < > P2)	P1=0.093	0.0733	No
	P2=0.137
	N=94
Self-care activities
Monitoring of weight	P1=0.549	1.000	No
	P2=0.786
	N=310
Monitoring of carbohydrates intake	P1=0.683	0.000	Yes
	P2=0.399
	N=310
Monitoring of physical activity	P1=0.563	0.0327	Yes
	P2=0.458
	N=310

Notes:

a P₁ = T1DM; P₂ = T2DM.

Abbreviations: HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; T1DM, type 1 diabetes mellitus; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Table 6 Overview of testing hypothesis (comparing patients with/without complication)

Indicator; hypothesis (H0: P1 = P2 vs H1: P1 ≠ P2a)	P-values for two groups of patients	P-value	Conclude H1 at 5% significance?
Knowledge of the last HbA1c level	P1=0.885	0.8845	No
	P2=0.879
	N=310
Record glucose level (only patients who have own glucose meter)	P1=0.805	0.2515	No
	P2=0.738
	N=280
Source of information other than the doctor	P1=0.82	0.2541	No
	P2=0.878
	N=310
Frequencies of measuring glucose level (only insulin treatment or with combination with insulin treatment)
4+ per day	P1=0.3	0.4528	No
	P2=0.245
	N=202
1–3 per day		0.152	No
Self-care activities
Monitoring of weight	P1=0.684	0.6118	No
	P2=0.652
	N=310
Monitoring of carbohydrates intake	P1=0.525	0.7632	No
	P2=0.545
	N=310
Monitoring of physical activity	P1=0.53	0.6622	No
	P2=0.506
	N=310

Notes:

a P₁ = without complication; P₂ = with complication.

Abbreviation: HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin.

Table 7 Overview of testing hypothesis

Indicator	Test statistic value (Pearson’s chi-squared test)	P-value	Conclude H1 at 5% significance?
Record glucose level	5.976	0.309	No
	N=116
Frequencies of measuring glucose level	18.512	0.295	No
	N=274
Merge individual group	9.629	0.022	Yesa
	N=274
The type of treatment	5.976	0.309	No
	N=116
The number of monitoring other health aspects	13.8499	0.537	No
	N=274

Note:

a Pearson correlation coefficient: −0.0615 (correlations between the characteristics is weak).