Patient barriers to insulin: The InfoCRIne order

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Primary Care Medicine
• Patient Adherence

Background:

• Insulin is a critical life-saving medication for diabetes management.
• Healthcare professionals face significant barriers to insulin use, particularly at the patient level.
• Patient resistance to injectable therapies is common in primary care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key patient-level barriers to insulin initiation and acceptance.
• To propose practical strategies for overcoming these barriers in primary care.
• To introduce the InfoCRIne mnemonic as a framework for addressing insulin hesitancy.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the InfoCRIne mnemonic to categorize barriers to insulin therapy.
• Developed corresponding strategies ('bridges') to address each identified barrier.
• Focused on a practical and pragmatic approach for healthcare providers.

Main Results:

• Identified four primary barriers: hearsay, perceived inability to use insulin, perceived lack of resources, and intrusion into lifestyle.
• Proposed four corresponding strategies: information dissemination, confidence building, resource management, and individualization of treatment.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of these strategies in overcoming patient resistance.

Conclusions:

• The InfoCRIne framework provides a systematic approach to initiating and accepting insulin therapy.
• Addressing patient-specific concerns is crucial for successful insulin adoption.
• Practical strategies can significantly improve patient adherence to insulin treatment in primary care.