How motivated are patients with type 2 diabetes to change their lifestyle? A survey among patients and healthcare professionals.
OBJECTIVE
It is unknown to what extend patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in primary care are motivated to change their lifestyle. We assessed the level of motivation to change lifestyle and the agreement for that level between patients and healthcare professionals.


METHODS
Patients with T2DM (150) filled in a questionnaire to assess the level of motivation to change their lifestyle, using a single question with three answer options. We investigated the agreement for this level between these patients and their healthcare professionals (12 professionals). In addition, we investigated and compared the level of physical activity as indicated by the patients and the healthcare professionals.


RESULTS
A large part of the patients reported to have a deficient physical activity level (35% according to patients, 47% according to healthcare professionals, kappa 0.32) and were not motivated to change their lifestyle level (29% according to patients, 43% according to healthcare professionals, kappa 0.13). Patients tended to overestimate their physical activity and their motivation to change in comparison with their healthcare professionals.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with T2DM in primary care should increase their physical activity level. Healthcare professionals often do not know whether patients are motivated to change their lifestyle, and should therefore assess motivation regularly to optimize lifestyle management.
CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Department of General Practice, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: joris.linmans@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
Joris J
JJ
Linmans
CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Department of General Practice, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
J André
JA
Knottnerus
CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Department of General Practice, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Mark
M
Spigt
D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009043:Motor Activity; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010819:Physician's Role; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Life style; Motivation; Primary health care