Counseling Preferences Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Implications for Personalized Care

Background: In Vietnam, diabetes-related knowledge and self-management practices remain suboptimal, with limited interventions addressing the diverse counseling needs of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients. This study is aimed at identifying the counseling topics most preferred by T2D patients and examine the factors influencing their preferences to inform the development of targeted, cost-effective health counseling initiatives. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted among 460 outpatients with T2D using structured interviews and medical records. Participants selected one of three counseling topics: disease-related knowledge (which provided information on the causes, symptoms, complications, and treatment options for T2D), nutrition and lifestyle (which included personalized guidance on food choices, healthy eating patterns, physical activity, and weight management), or medication information (which provided education on prescribed medications, dosage, timing, potential side effects, and proper administration). Multinomial logistic regression was employed to identify sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with counseling preferences. Results: Among the participants, nutrition and lifestyle counseling was the most preferred topic (49%), followed by disease-related knowledge (33%), and medication information (18%). Factors influencing preferences included occupational status, and complications were significantly associated with a preference for disease-related knowledge (p = 0.021 and p = 0.029, respectively). Marital status and complications influenced the preference for nutrition and lifestyle counseling (p = 0.043 and p = 0.011, respectively). Medication regimen and achieving target fasting blood glucose levels predicted a preference for medication information counseling (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: This study serves as a reference for developing tailored health counseling programs to the specific needs of T2D patients. Personalized counseling approaches, particularly focusing on nutrition, lifestyle, and medication management, are critical for optimizing patient care and improving self-management. This study demonstrates that personalized counseling approaches, particularly in nutrition, lifestyle, and medication management, are critical for optimizing patient care and improving self-management. Additionally, it provides valuable insights for healthcare providers, policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders in implementing individualized care for T2D by considering specific factors that influence intervention choices.