Difficulty in Managing Diabetes
Participants with diabetes identified difficulties and frustrations in taking medications, difficulty
in getting medications and adhering to dietary constraints, and difficulty with exercise.
Difficulty and Frustrations Taking Medications
Participants were frustrated by the need to take medications to help manage diabetes. In addition,
taking medications was described as inconvenient, particularly when at work or timing
medications with meals to prevent reactions. These perceived barriers associated with medicines
prevented participants from effectively self-managing their disease:
My medications are annoying me. I’m fed up with so much medicine. (Female, 52 years old)The most difficult part for me is that at times I forget to take my pills. I would forget to take
them to work. So, by the time I get off work at 5:00 pm, I have missed the day dose and only
have time to take the evening dose. (Female, 43 years old)
Having to inject myself with insulin all the time would be the most difficult thing for me.
(Female, 37 years old)