Perceptions, Beliefs and Practices Surrounding the Diagnosis and Treatments of People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder of multiple etiologies, characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with disturbances in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins as a result of defects in the secretion and/or action of insulin. A case study was conducted in the Salvadoran Diabetes Association ASADI, with the objective of describing the perceptions, beliefs and practices surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Method: it consisted of a descriptive qualitative approach, a sample was selected by convenience, two focus groups were conducted with seven and eight people, men and women between 35 and 75 years old, with more than one year of belonging to the association and suffering from the disease, being patients under medical control, participating in the therapeutic group and residing in San Salvador. A guide of questions was administered to the focal groups and to the patients’ caregivers, semi-structured interviews with the specialist physician and the diabetes educator. Informed consent was requested from ASADI and the people participating in the interviews. The data were entered in a code book and analyzed for each specific objective of the research. It is concluded that unfavorable perceptions, beliefs and practices are reduced with education, and education helps to have a longer and calmer life that also promotes self-care and improves health.