Patients with diabetes speak: exploring the implications of patients' perspectives for their diabetes appointments

Type 2 diabetes puts patients at risk for serious health consequences that they can prevent or delay by achieving glycemic control. However, glycemic control depends largely on self-management. Consequently, determining what physicians might do in medical appointments to improve patients' self-management is of utmost concern. Patients were asked to discuss, in focus groups, their illness experience and their goals for regularly scheduled appointments. Six interrelated themes emerged from the analysis of transcripts: complications and comorbidities, time, control, information, family influences, and the physician-patient encounter. These themes and their implications for diabetes appointments were explored, specifically considering how physicians might use information about patients' perspectives to improve patients' self-management and thereby their glycemic control.