title: Self-care behaviour, treatment satisfaction and quality of life in people on intensive insulin treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify self-care behaviours and their relationships with treatment satisfaction and quality of life in people attending a structured educational programme for patients on intensive insulin therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 104 people with diabetes (62 with type-1; 42 with type 2) was recruited from the National Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetology in Ľubochňa over six months. The majority of respondents were women (62.5%); had multiple daily injections of insulin (73%); diabetic late complications (68%) and had not previously participated in the structured educational programmes in the specialized diabetes centre (64.4%). Self-management behaviour data were collected by means of structured interviews with patients as well as during clinic visits. For measuring quality of life, the Audit Diabetes Dependent Quality of Life questionnaire and for measuring satisfaction with their treatment regimen, the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire status version was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  General satisfaction with the treatment was significantly higher in people with diabetes, who implemented regular self-monitoring of the concentration of glucose in plasma (SMPG). We also demonstrated low adherence in the frequency of SMPG. 17% of respondents in our study performed daily SMPG. However, 52% respondents reported adaptation of insulin dosage in relation to factors such as carbohydrate intake, glycaemia values or degree of physical activity. Differences in quality of life due to performing the regular self-monitoring of glycaemia, adjustments of insulin doses in specific situations as well as carbohydrate counting were not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Performing the regular self-monitoring of glycaemia was associated only with higher treatment satisfaction. No significant improvement in quality of life was seen in people performing the regular self-monitoring of glycaemia, adjustments of insulin doses in specific situations or carbohydrate counting.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nursing, Comenius University in Bratislava, Jesseniuss Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Mala Hora 5, 036 01 Martin, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gurkova
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ziakova
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin