Meeting the challenges posed by an escalating diabetes healthcare burden: A mixed methods study

Abstract

Aims and objectives: To identify innovative new strategies to maintain optimal care for patients with diabetes while in hospital. Background: The ongoing escalation in the incidence of diabetes is contributing to a growing burden associated with diabetes management. Design: Mixed methods underpinned by Appreciative Inquiry. Methods: Online survey (n=173) and focus group interviews with nurses and midwives (n=40), and individual interviews with recently discharged hospital patients (n=6). Results: Suggest a need for further education and knowledge on diabetes management for nursing, midwifery, medical and ancillary staff. This, together with improved communication and team work, is required to prevent delays in prescribing and reviewing insulin requirements, along with timely access to appropriate food for people with diabetes. Conclusions: In seeking solutions to the challenges in caring for hospitalised patients with diabetes there is a need to work across the entire hospital workforce and to develop effective and efficient methods for ensuring appropriate skills and knowledge of diabetes management for staff across complex and rapidly changing hospital systems.

The effect of family‐based intervention for adults with diabetes on HbA1c and other health‐related outcomes: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…The increasing prevalence of diabetes is a public health problem and growing economic burden worldwide (Atsalos et al, 2019), causing long‐term and devastating complications such as blindness, stroke, renal failure or cardiovascular disease (American Diabetes Association, 2021b). Metabolic control is indicated by glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and has a strong predictive value for diabetes complications.…”

Interprofessional Education in Diabetes Care—Findings from an Integrated Review

“…Of the 19 studies analysed, 13 studies reported on the (1) effects of IPE/IPC on provider or student characteristics in diabetes care provision and (2) on aspects of healthcare provision for patients with diabetes that were impacted. For provider/student characteristics, the studies mention advancements in self-perceived competence in diabetes care [17], improved confidence [17,21,24], knowledge [21,23,24,27], skills [23,24], behaviour [23,26] and attitudes [20,24] toward IPE and collaborative practice. For modified aspects of healthcare, the studies report improved clinical practice [9,17,26,31], quality of care [23,26,29,32], understanding of roles and responsibilities of other HCPs or students [20,28], communication [7,21,28], collaboration and interprofessional team care [7,21,27] and provider productivity [7].…”

“…Better self-perceived competence in diabetes care [17] Improved confidence [17,21,24] Improved knowledge [21,23,24,27] Improved skills [23,24] Improved behaviour [23,26] Improved attitudes toward IPE and IPC [35] Impact on aspects of healthcare provision Improved clinical practice [9,17,26,31] Improved quality of care [23,26,29,32] Improved understanding of roles and responsibilities of other HCPs or students [20,28] Improved communication [7,21,28] Improved IPC and team care [7,21,27] Improved provider productivity [7] 3.6. Effect on Diabetes Self-Management and Disease Outcomes…”

Barriers and facilitators in the acquisition of diabetes knowledge among tertiary-care nurses in central and southern Malawi: An exploratory-descriptive qualitative study

“…They have a major effect when supporting patients with self-management of their condition particularly using the proactive care management model and decision making support approaches [18][19][20][21][22]. Numerous studies outside SSA [16, [23][24][25][26][27] and within Africa [28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35] report low knowledge levels of diabetes and diabetes care among nurses. However, the factors that hinder and promote the nurses' acquisition of diabetes knowledge are not well established.…”