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Patients' perspective on self-management: type 2 diabetes in daily life
Astrid N van Smoorenburg1, Dorijn F L Hertroijs2, Tessa Dekkers1
1Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.
Background:
The number of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and related treatment costs are rapidly increasing. Consequentially, more cost-effective and efficient strategies for the treatment of T2DM are needed. One such strategy is improving patients' self-management. As patients are more and more expected to self-manage their disease, it is important to provide them with suitable self-management support. This way, success of self-management will increase and complications and related costs of T2DM can be reduced. Currently, self-management support is developed mainly from the perspective of health professionals and caregivers, rather than patients. This research focused on gaining a better understanding of patients' perspectives on self-management and support.
Methods:
Semi-structured interviews, preceded by preparatory assignments, were conducted with ten patients with T2DM treated in Dutch primary care.
Results:
We found that patients experience 'active' self-management when recently diagnosed. As time progresses and no problems occur, patients do not experience their disease-related behaviour as self-management. Diabetes has 'just' become part of their daily life, now including new routines taking diabetes into account.
Conclusions:
With this knowledge, support solutions can be designed and implemented that better fit the needs, preferences and abilities of patients with T2DM.
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