Author(s)

Afra Sulaiman Alayed

Family Medicine Department, King Fahad Armed Forces hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common pathologies in pregnancy. Unfortunately, both clinicians and patients are often reluctant to begin insulin therapy, a phenomenon that has been known as psychological insulin resistance (PIR). Objectives: To assess the barriers of initiating insulin among GDM pregnant women. Patients and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in the GDM clinic, Diabetes Center in Hera’a General Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia in a period of 4 months. A self-administered validated questionnaire was adopted. It included socio-demographic data of women, perceived (personal, social, pharmacological, occupational and misconception) barriers towards insulin therapy and possible solutions to overcome these barriers. Results: A total of 164 pregnant women with gestational diabetes were included in the study. The age of 36.4% of them exceeded 35 years. Among personal barriers, preferring other treatment methods over insulin (56.4%) and unaware of insulin dose control method (45.4%) were commonly reported. Regarding family barriers, 23.6% reported past family experience of insulin-related complications. Concerning side effects, fear of hypoglycemia (59.4%) and fear of weight gain (50.9%) were most frequently reported barriers against use of insulin. Regarding misconceptions about insulin injections, 26% believed that insulin is addictive; the injection will continue for life. Among work-related barriers, irregular eating times during working hours and long working hours (55.2%) were barriers for insulin use. Facilitating access to healthcare services (94%), engage the patient in decision-making and development of the treatment plan (91.6%), activate virtual clinics and social media for remote follow-up (86.6%) and organize social support groups for pregnant women who use insulin to share their experiences were the most frequently reported possible solutions to initiate and commit to insulin therapy. Conclusion: Various barriers were identified against initiation of insulin therapy in the management of gestational diabetes; mostly due to personal factors, misconception and work-related factors. Prompt actions are needed to overcome these barriers.

Insulin, Gestational Diabetes, Barriers, Saudi Arabia

Alayed, A. (2023) Assessment of Barriers toward Initiating Insulin among Gestational Diabetes Pregnant Women, Diabetes Center, Hera’a General Hospital, Makkah. Journal of Diabetes Mellitus, 13, 93-115. doi: 10.4236/jdm.2023.132009.