Accessibility and utilization of healthcare services among diabetic patients: Is diabetes a poor man’s ailment?

Availability and affordability of diabetes healthcare services associated with the frequency of diabetes-related complications

AIMS

Understanding the healthcare access challenges facing diabetic patients in low- and middle-income countries is very important. The present study investigated the association between availability (physical access) and affordability (economic access) to diabetes healthcare services and the frequency of diabetes-related complications.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey study was conducted between February and May 2023 in Qazvin, Iran. Using convenience sampling, 373 type 2 diabetic patients (mean age = 57.99 years; SD = 11.71) referred to diabetic specialists' clinics were surveyed. Demographic characteristics, physical access to diabetes healthcare services, economic access to diabetes healthcare services, and frequency of diabetes-related complications (FDRCs) were assessed. Data were assessed using linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

The mean total access score to healthcare services was 17.71 (out of 30; SD ± 4.21; range 6-30). Patients who had more access to healthcare services had less diabetes-related complications (p < 0.005). There was a significant negative correlation (p < 0.01) between FDRCs and (i) physical access to diabetes-related healthcare services (r = -0.166) and (ii) economic access to diabetes-related healthcare services (r = -0.153). Linear regression analysis showed that with each unit increase in participants' economic, physical and total access to diabetes-related healthcare services, the FDRCs among participants decreased by 8.7%, 13.5%, and 8.8% respectively.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that increased physical accessibility (availability) and economic accessibility (affordability) of healthcare services are associated with fewer diabetes-related complications. Therefore, policymakers and healthcare managers need to reduce diabetes-related complications by implementing schemes to increase patient access to diabetes treatment services.

The Impact of the Clinical Pharmacist-Led Diabetes Education on the Knowledge and Attitude of Individuals with Type II Diabetes Mellitus: An Interventional Study

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus is a complex condition to manage. Patients with a greater understanding and knowledge of their condition might achieve better glycemic control than others. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of clinical pharmacist-led diabetes education on the knowledge and attitude of individuals with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

This study was a quasi-experimental study which was conducted at a diabetes clinic in Khartoum, Sudan. The study population was adult individuals with T2DM who attended the diabetes clinic. The estimated sample size was 182 participants. The participants were selected randomly by a simple random sampling method. The knowledge and attitudes of the participants were assessed at baseline and at the end of the study after 12 months. The intervention was carried out through educational materials about diabetes and medications for its treatment.

RESULTS

The majority of the participants were females. The mean age was 54.5 (±10) years. Most participants had a family history of diabetes (69.2%). The mean knowledge score after the intervention was increased by 1.4 (±0.1) from baseline, p value (<0.001), while the mean attitude score was increased by 1.7 (±0.2) from baseline, p value (<0.001). At baseline, 14.8% of the participants had a high level of knowledge and 18.7% had a negative attitude, while after intervention for 12 months, 28.5% of them had a high level of knowledge and 16.8% had a negative attitude (p values < 0.001, 0.032, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The knowledge of and attitudes towards diabetes differed significantly as a result of the educational program provided by the clinical pharmacist.

Diabetes is affecting everyone everywhere

The article titled "Accessibility and Utilization of Healthcare Services Among Diabetic Patients: Is Diabetes a Poor Man's Ailment?" gave insights into a pandemic systemic disease known as diabetes mellitus. This modern-era pandemic affects everyone, regardless of their financial background. As a result, diabetes is not a systemic disease which just involves people of low socioeconomic status.