Barriers to and Reasons for Glycemic Control among Adults with T2DM: Perspectives from Health Care Professionals

Abstract

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a global epidemic. It is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among adults in Sri Lanka. It has a significant impact on the individual, their families as well.as the economy and the health care system of the country. There is a limited data available on health care professionals' perspectives regarding glycemic control among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Sri Lanka. Objective: To explore the perception towards glycemic control among adults with T2DM as perceived by health care personnel. Design & Methods: A qualitative design was used. Focus group discussions with nurses (n=30), and in-depth interviews with doctors (n=l6) were conducted until data saturation. Matrix analysis was used to analyze data. Results: Findings from qualitative data revealed three themes: 1) barriers to glycemic control, 2) reasons for adequate glycemic control, and 3) suggestions to improve glycemic control. Participants broadly agreed in identifying barriers to effective glycemic control. Conclusions: Nurses and doctors perceived that doing diet control, regular exercise and taking medication properly on a long-term basis are challenging behaviors for adults with T2DM. Furthermore, health care professionals encountered many barriers when attempting to provide quality diabetic care. Further, the findings revealed some suggestions for effective diabetic care