1. Do diabetologists recognise self-management problems in their patients?
- Author
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Keers JC, Links TP, Bouma J, Gans RO, ter Maaten JC, Wolffenbuttel BH, Sluiter WJ, and Sanderman R
- Subjects
- Adult, Blood Glucose analysis, Diabetes Mellitus blood, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Diabetes Mellitus psychology, Diabetes Mellitus therapy, Endocrinology standards, Needs Assessment standards, Self Care, Stress, Psychological etiology
- Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether diabetologists recognise patients' needs for additional intensive multidisciplinary care due to glycaemic and diabetes-related psychosocial difficulties., Research Design and Methods: We compared 114 participants in a diabetes intervention programme with 201 as yet non-referred outpatients, of whom 54 outpatients were considered eligible for the intervention by their diabetologists; thus, 147 outpatients were considered non-eligible., Results: Analysis revealed that the eligible patients had poorer glycaemic control but all other parameters were similar to non-eligible patients. Significantly, 22 (15%) of the 147 non-eligible patients clearly had diabetes distress and could potentially benefit from the intervention., Conclusion: The results suggest that in regular care, patients' needs with respect to glycaemic control are recognised by their diabetologists, but patients with high psychosocial diabetes-related distress are often overlooked, though they also may be in need of additional care. Integrated monitoring of diabetes-related distress in outpatients could improve this area of diabetes care.
- Published
- 2004
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