Do Frustrated Diabetics Fail to Take Care of Themselves?

In Singapore, a survey has found that over half of diabetics are failing at basic ways of taking care of themselves. According to the results, one in two of those whose wellbeing is affected by diabetes fail to take their medication regularly, seven in 10 do not monitor their blood glucose levels themselves and over six in 10 do not exercise at least three times a week. Doctors have said that this could put their wellbeing in great jeopardy.

The Diabetic Society of Singapore conducted a survey of 157 type 2 diabetes patients over the age of 45 years old. According to vice-president Dr Kevin Tan, the results of the survey show that diabetes is one of the hardest chronic conditions to manage, and getting patients to exercise regularly, as well as to monitor their blood glucose levels themselves, is an ongoing challenge.

He continued that, worryingly, less that 20% of the survey’s participants knew of the various types of measurements of blood glucose, and when they were asked if they’d like to know more, 63% declined whilst the rest reported being ‘unsure’. But as knowing what these numbers mean can help you to control the disease and be aware of incidences of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar), why did so many respondents resist?

Just over 25% of respondents reported feeling frustrated with their condition, as it involved having to take many types of medicine. According to Dr Tan, it is common for patients to become frustrated with having to take so many types of pills, and it is likewise unsurprising that one in four admitted having trouble with diet and weight control and even turning up for doctors’ appointments.

In response to this frustration, more and more pharmaceutical companies are rolling out combination pills that have to be taken only once a day. The most recent, Kombiglyze XR, combines two existing types of medication called saxagliptin and metformin, which can either be taken in its short-acting form twice a day, or else the long-acting one is taken just once.

According to Dr Stanley Liew, an endocrinologist at Raffles Hospital, said it is ‘fairly common’ for patients to require both types of medication, and studies have shown that patients are more likely to take their pills when fewer are required and less often. Dr Tan added that whilst better and more convenient drugs that make taking medicine easier are always welcome, the most reliable way to ensure greater compliance to treatment is through educating diabetics on the severity of complications, and giving them all the social support they need to change unhealthy lifestyles.