Patients' opinions on diabetes care in relation to glycaemic control

Patients' opinions on diabetes care and its relation to glycaemic control were studied as a step towards the implementation in Sweden of the St Vincent Declaration. The aim of the study was to identify key components in the care provided to patients. During one randomly selected week a representative cross‐sectional sample of 186 patients with insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus visiting physicians both at outpatients' clinics of hospital departments of medicine and at primary health care centres was identified. The patients' opinions of the care given were investigated by means of a questionnaire.

If patients did not have one and the same physician or had difficulties with access to the members of the care team it was found that they had significantly higher HbA₁c values (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01). Patients whose physicians never displayed any interest in their home blood glucose results also had high levels of HbA₁c (p < 0.05). A higher HbA₁c value was associated with wishes for more frequent contacts with the diabetes nurse (p < 0.05).

We conclude that the patients' opinions on the care given are important and should be considered in order to deliver a high‐quality diabetes care.