title: Patient explanations for non-attendance at structured diabetes education sessions for newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes: a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the reasons for non-attendance at structured education sessions among people with a recent diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews to elicit the main themes explaining non-attendance. A thematic framework method was applied to analyse the data. People who had not attended structured education were recruited from a population cohort of newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes from South London (the South London Diabetes cohort study), UK.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A sample of 30 people was interviewed. Three main themes emerged from the qualitative data explaining non-attendance at structured education: (1) lack of information/perceived benefit of the programme (e.g. not being informed about the course by their health professional); (2) unmet personal preferences (e.g. parking, timing); and (3) shame and stigma of diabetes (e.g. not wishing to tell others of diabetes diagnosis).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first time that reasons for non-attendance have been explored in depth among people who have newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes. Novel reasons identified included non-attendance because of shame and stigma of diabetes. To improve uptake at structured education we need to: consider how health professionals in primary care communicate with their patients on the subject of structured diabetes education; offer alternatives to the traditional group education format; and understand that diabetes is associated with health-related stigma, which may affect participation.
authors: Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Winkley
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Evwierhoma
authors: S A
authors: SA
authors: Amiel
authors: H K
authors: HK
authors: Lempp
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Ismail
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Forbes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012648:Self Care; D012938:Social Perception; D057545:Social Stigma; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires