DIABETES MELLITUS – OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES AND MANAGING THEM

Abstract

Aims: People with diabetes have difficulties in many parts of their life. In our country, there are a lot of studies for the patients with diabetes. But the educations given and studies that are made are insufficient and the patients still don’t know what to do when they face with problems diabetes cause. For this purpose, a survey was prepared to determine the difficulties patients face, solutions of them and patients’ knowledge level. The effect of the project that is based on SMS for better communication to manage diabetes more successful was observed.Methods: 365 patients with diabetes followed by family medicine department were evaluated with a survey that determines their information, problems and the solutions to those problems. 10 volunteering patients from the group that took the survey were informed about diabetes on daily basis via SMS. After the informing, another survey study was run on the consciousness of the patients about diabetes and this system’s profits.Results: All of the patients have difficulties in their daily lives with managing diabetes. The question, “Would you want text messages from your doctor for management of diabetes?” had yes answer from all the patients. According to some survey results; taking the medicine right and on time, keeping track of blood sugar are unimportant, even the number and percentage of these results are low. There is an insufficiency about the management and treatment of diabetes. Only %15 of the patients know about carbohydrate counting method. Conclusion: Management of diabetes would get easier with making the communication between doctor and patient continuous. There is a need of platforms and projects serving this cause. SMS system that’s been worked on had a positive effect on patients

Keywords

• Diabetes mellitus, family medicine, carbohydrate count