Impact of patient attitudes and beliefs to insulin therapy upon initiation, and their attitudinal changes after initiation: the DAWN Japan study

<p><b>Objective</b> As a part of the Diabetes Attitudes, Wishes and Needs (DAWN) Japan study, a multi-center, questionnaire-based survey conducted between 2004 and 2005, this analysis aimed to (1) explore patients’ attitudes and beliefs contributing to their decision to start insulin therapy, and (2) assess the changes in their attitudes and beliefs after actual initiation.</p> <p><b>Methods</b> Insulin-naive patients with type 2 diabetes who were recommended to start insulin therapy (<i>n</i> = 149) were invited to answer a 21-item questionnaire consisting of five clusters assessing their attitudes and beliefs toward insulin therapy. The questionnaire was administered twice: first upon insulin recommendation, and then 1 month after insulin initiation for those who started and 4 months after for those who did not.</p> <p><b>Results</b> Of 130 patients included in the analysis, 74 patients (56.9%) started insulin therapy. ‘Negative image of injections’ and ‘Positive image toward insulin therapy’ were significantly associated with patient decision to start insulin therapy (odds ratios [95% CI]: 0.49 [0.32–0.76] and 2.58 [1.51–4.42], respectively). After insulin initiation, ‘Negative image of injections’, ‘Positive image toward insulin therapy’, ‘Feelings of guilt regarding diabetes self-management’, and ‘Negative image toward insulin therapy’ decreased significantly (<i>P</i> < 0.001 for all). ‘Social/interpersonal effects’ did not change after insulin initiation.</p> <p><b>Conclusions</b> This study demonstrated that patients who started insulin therapy were less likely to have negative images of injections and more likely to have positive images toward insulin therapy. Starting insulin therapy did not deteriorate the patient’s overall impression of therapy. The key limitation is the relatively small sample size (<i>n</i> = 130). The results suggest that education about the benefits of insulin therapy may help patients who are not ready to initiate insulin overcome their barrier to early insulin initiation and practical support may help those who have already started therapy to maintain its use.