Patient Factors Affecting Unwillingness to use Insulin in Type 2 Diabetics at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: Some Type 2 diabetic patients require insulin therapy to control their blood sugar levels in order to prevent complications. A proportion of patients who meet the criteria to be put on insulin are unwilling to start. Patients already on insulin are unwilling to intensify insulin therapy as a result of various factors. This study looked at patient factors determining the acceptance or refusal of insulin therapy at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. Objective: to assess patient factors affecting unwillingness to use insulin in type 2 diabetics at Cape Coast Teaching Hospital Method: This is a cross-sectional analytical study of 302 diabetic patients using consecutive sampling method. Data was analyzed using stata 14 version. Chi squared test was done to compare categorical variables and student t test used to compare means. Multivariate logistic regression was used to dctermine predictors of responses with selected independent variables. Findings: The level of unwillingness to use insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes was 39%. The fear of injection was the factor significantly affecting patients' unwillingness to accept insulin therapy. The knowledge of patients on insulin therapy was poor. And majority of patients would want more communication on insulin therapy with their doctors. Conclusion: patients are unwilling to accept insulin therapy because of the fear of injections.