Barriers to Daiy Blood Glucose Self-monitoring in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

• Main Author: Tientcheu, Sylvain N
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: ScholarWorks 2018
• Subjects: Barriers to SMBG; blood glucose; Diabetes Mellitus; health belief model; self-monitoring; SMBG; Nursing
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/5667; https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6946&context=dissertations

Routine blood glucose monitoring by patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is needed for effective management of T2DM; however, 75% of monitoring logs are returned incomplete during monthly provider follow-up appointments. As a result, effective management of the patient's medical condition is limited. To better understand the reasons for noncompliance, a quality improvement project (QIP) was initiated between July 01, 2017 and September 30, 2017, to identify barriers that prevented patients from self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). No formal assessment of the patients' responses had been done, and, as a result, the deidentified, qualitative responses from the QIP were obtained for this project. The purpose of this project was to explore barriers to SMBG and to use a literature search to identify strategies for improving compliance with SMBG. The health belief model was the framework used to guide the project. Secondary data obtained from the QIP (n = 19) were analyzed and coded. Results indicated that patients' financial concerns, social support, emotional needs, and lack of diabetes education were the main barriers to daily SMBG. Recommendations to the providers were to consider each barrier before ordering the use and frequency of SMBG and to consider an appropriate strategy for promoting SMBG adherence. Addressing low compliance with SMBG may promote positive social change through improved T2DM management, self-care, adherence to daily SMBG and treatment, and improved patient quality of life.