Understanding Patients Experiences Living with Diabetes Mellitus: A Qualitative Study, Gujarat, India

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is leading health problem in India. India is experiencing the burden of communicable disease as well as non-communicable disease. It is believed due to unhealthy life style and faulty food habits. The International Diabetes Federation estimated that 72.9 million adults in India were living with diabetes in last four years. The study overviews the different factors like personal, familial, social, and financial affecting the life style and management of the disease.  Thus, diabetes mellitus affects all the dimensions of health of an individual. The aims of the study to assess quality of life and experiences faced by the patients who are suffering from diabetes mellitus and how the progressive stage of the diseases altered the all the dimensions. Objectives: • To explore the lived in experiences of diabetes mellitus patients. • To explore the various dimensions of the lived in experiences of diabetes mellitus patients. Materials and Methods: A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive design was used to explore and describe the experiences lived by participants suffering from diabetes in the selected areas of Kheda district Gujarat. The investigator used the phenomenological approach of the qualitative paradigm. The study conducted among 10 samples who are suffering from Diabetes Mellitus more than 07 years, sampling technique used was non-probability. Semi structured interview questions were used to conduct the detail history from the participants, where investigator has attain at least 6 to 8 sitting, (duration 30-45 Min.) with each participants. The investigator used local language for the interview and recorded in mobile, later all the recorded session has been verbatim according to the themes and sub-themes. Results: The study resulted in the extraction of six themes, which reflect the experiences of the study participants. The themes are: 1) lived time; 2) lived body; 3) lived relationship; 4) lived economical; 5) lived vocational and 6) lived spiritual. It was found that diabetes still causes participants to suffer from fear, depression and anxiety along with they hate to have modification in dietary pattern in which they cannot have sweets and sweet products. Although emotional support was provided by the family members and friends. Participant’s absence from work in their early diagnosis was due to both their health conditions and emotional embarrassment. There are evidences that diabetes has psychological damage to patient’s life and so they feel more anxious and fatigue. Conclusion: The study attempted to explore the lived in experiences of Diabetes Mellitus Patients and it was found that DM has affected all the dimensions of health especially in physical, psychological and economical dimensions. 1) In Physical dimension the patients were having common complaints of giddiness, weakness and headache which was leading them to certain problems. 2) In psychological dimension the patients were having more anxiety, fear regarding the disease and long term treatment along with depression. 3) In economical dimension some patients were having good family income so there were no issues related to expenses on diet and medication 4) In social dimension all the participants were having good relation with their everyone. 5) In vocational dimension all were having difficulty at work place to concentrate in their work but after starting the treatment their health was improved so later they continued their work properly. 6) In spiritual dimension only two participants were not having belief in God rest all were having faith in God and prayed daily.