Knowledge, Practice, and Attitude of patients and physicians towards insulin therapy in Type 2 DM
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Date
2020-12
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Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Background: As type 2 DM is a growing health problem worldwide early treatment and
intensification of therapy will decrease the vascular complications as evidenced by large trials.
Insulin therapy is delayed in this group of patients and multiple physician and patient factors are
mentioned in different settings.
Objective: This study aims to assess patients’ and physicians’ knowledge, practice, and
attitude towards insulin therapy in Type 2 DM to answer the reason for not early insulin
initiation by physicians and the patients’ refusal to start insulin therapy.
Methods: This study is a cross-sectional, quantitative descriptive study conducted on
221patients at TASH endocrine clinic and 122 physicians working at TASH, residents visiting
for detachment, and Yekatit 12 hospital. Conducted on Jul 1- Sep 30, 2020, G.C
Result: 76% of physicians think taking insulin at the prescribed time is difficult while only
31.5% of patients think it’s difficult. Hypoglycemia is one of the most fearful parts of having
diabetes for 81.1% of patients on Insulin therapy. 87% of physicians and76.6% of patients think
insulin-treated diabetes controls life while. 56% of patients therapy know nothing about insulin
therapy. 23% of patients said they will not accept insulin therapy the top reason being they will
be afraid of insulin injection because they think it will be painful.
Conclusion: Physicians tend to overestimate the difficulty of insulin injection preparation and
dose adjustment fears the risk of hypoglycemia when starting insulin therapy. More than half of
our patients not on insulin therapy know nothing about insulin therapy which we have to
improve. Even if patients not on insulin therapy overestimate insulin needle phobia and injection
pain those who are already on insulin disagree with them.
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Keywords
Type 2 DM, Insulin treatment, Treatment inertia