Which is more troublesome, insulin or needle?

Abstract

as a last resort, “once insulin always insulin” concept, fear of low sugar and gaining weight. There is lack of data in literature as to which the patient is more worried, insulin or the injection. When injectable alternative (incretin) to insulin for treatment of T2DM were in sight a few months back, we had undertaken a project of an anonymous questionnaire survey of patients with T2DM seen in our practice taking insulin. The aim of this project was mainly to Þ nd out which is a greater barrier, insulin itself or an injection needle and to see if the decision had any bearing with hypoglycemia, duration of T2DM and duration of insulin therapy. Ethical committee approval was taken and a pilot project with ten patients was done to see clarity of the questions. We analyzed, the data of 100 consecutive patients who have completed the questionnaire. Their mean age was 46.5 years, 64 were males and 66 were graduates educated to level or above. Fifty-eight patients were on insulin for less than two years and 17 were for more than Þ ve years. A good 67 were injecting insulin by themselves. Thirty-four were ready to take an injectable alternative and 19 were undecided. Of these 34 (66% were graduates and above), fear of hypoglycemia was the major driving force in half and the rest thought new injection could be better to control diabetes. More than half of the subjects who were on insulin for more than Þ ve years and having experienced hypoglycemia within last three months preferred alternative treatment. Age did not matter in the decision making when divided into <40, 40–60 and