What do People with Diabetes Want to Talk About With Their Doctors?

A survey was conducted to establish the concerns of people with diabetes when they consult their doctors. A total of 225 people attending consecutively at the Manchester Diabetes Centre were invited to take part. Their concerns were assessed by a questionnaire administered immediately before consulting a doctor. Of the 220 (98%) respondents 53.6% had concerns about metabolic control; 31.8% had concerns which suggested cognitive or emotional problems in coming to terms with their diabetes; 20.5% and 22.7% had concerns related to organ involvement and medication, respectively; 11.8% expressed no concerns. Women who were concerned about metabolic control and organ involvement were younger than women who were not ( p < 0.001, and p = 0.004, respectively). Men who were concerned about medication were younger than men who were not ( p = 0.002). The concerns of men diagnosed for ≦ 10 years were more likely to suggest difficulty in adjusting to the disease than those who had been diagnosed for longer ( p = 0.007). Women diagnosed for ≦ 10 years were more likely to be concerned about metabolic control than those diagnosed for longer ( p = 0.018). Both men and women diagnosed for > 10 years, were more likely to be concerned about medication than those diagnosed for a shorter time ( p = 0.025). Ethnicity did not seem to influence the outcomes. The significant proportion of people who have concerns which suggest difficulty in adjusting to the disease, the gender differences, and the changes over time suggest the need for more detailed research into those concerns.