Through the eyes of the patients: a qualitative study of diabetes patients’ experiences navigating the healthcare system
BackgroundExperience maps of patient journeys offer valuable insights into efficient and cost-effective diabetes care that reflects the needs experienced by the patients. This study describes the diabetes patients’ experience navigating the healthcare system.MethodsA phenomenological approach was ad...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Endocrinology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1588192/full |
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| author | P. V. AshaRani Kumarasan Roystonn Madhumitha Ramu Yeow Wee Brian Tan Fiona Devi M. Iskander Shah Peizhi Wang Sum Chee Fang Tavintharan Subramaniam Lee Eng Sing Lee Eng Sing Chong Siow Ann Mythily Subramaniam Mythily Subramaniam |
| author_facet | P. V. AshaRani Kumarasan Roystonn Madhumitha Ramu Yeow Wee Brian Tan Fiona Devi M. Iskander Shah Peizhi Wang Sum Chee Fang Tavintharan Subramaniam Lee Eng Sing Lee Eng Sing Chong Siow Ann Mythily Subramaniam Mythily Subramaniam |
| author_sort | P. V. AshaRani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundExperience maps of patient journeys offer valuable insights into efficient and cost-effective diabetes care that reflects the needs experienced by the patients. This study describes the diabetes patients’ experience navigating the healthcare system.MethodsA phenomenological approach was adopted together with purposive sampling to achieve the study aim. One to one in-depth interviews were conducted with participants who had Type 2 diabetes (with and without diabetes related complications). A deductive thematic analysis was adopted for the study with data sufficiency achieved at thirteen interviews.FindingsThemes and codes were organized under three main stages: pre-diagnosis (stage 1), diagnosis and treatment (stage 2), and living with diabetes (stage 3). Stage 1 included themes for awareness and choice of care provider for initial care, and showed few care gaps, while stage 2 identified several service gaps and unmet needs. The themes that emerged included acceptance and life-facing diabetes and diabetes disease encounters, with several codes captured under the theme. Stage 3 included a theme for diabetes self-care. The usefulness of apps, good communication by the care team and facilitators of self-care were also mentioned. The major unmet needs perceived by the participant were patient-centeredness and personalized care in primary care settings.ConclusionWhile the current diabetes care system was efficacious, areas for improvement exist, and patients expressed a desire for more patient-centered and personalized care, particularly in primary care settings. These findings offer valuable insights into T2DM management and highlight potential areas for enhancing healthcare delivery. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-eca3c2af1f044b8d8e248d0c61d3f8bf |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-2392 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Endocrinology |
| spelling | doaj-art-eca3c2af1f044b8d8e248d0c61d3f8bf2025-08-26T04:13:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Endocrinology1664-23922025-08-011610.3389/fendo.2025.15881921588192Through the eyes of the patients: a qualitative study of diabetes patients’ experiences navigating the healthcare systemP. V. AshaRani0 Kumarasan Roystonn1Madhumitha Ramu2Yeow Wee Brian Tan3Fiona Devi4M. Iskander Shah5Peizhi Wang6Sum Chee Fang7Tavintharan Subramaniam8Lee Eng Sing9Lee Eng Sing10Chong Siow Ann11Mythily Subramaniam12Mythily Subramaniam13Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeKhoo Teck Puat Hospital, National Healthcare Group, Singapore, SingaporeKhoo Teck Puat Hospital, National Healthcare Group, Singapore, SingaporeHougang Polyclinic, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, Singapore, SingaporeFuture Primary Care, Ministry of Health (MOH) Office for Healthcare Transformation, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeResearch Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeSaw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeBackgroundExperience maps of patient journeys offer valuable insights into efficient and cost-effective diabetes care that reflects the needs experienced by the patients. This study describes the diabetes patients’ experience navigating the healthcare system.MethodsA phenomenological approach was adopted together with purposive sampling to achieve the study aim. One to one in-depth interviews were conducted with participants who had Type 2 diabetes (with and without diabetes related complications). A deductive thematic analysis was adopted for the study with data sufficiency achieved at thirteen interviews.FindingsThemes and codes were organized under three main stages: pre-diagnosis (stage 1), diagnosis and treatment (stage 2), and living with diabetes (stage 3). Stage 1 included themes for awareness and choice of care provider for initial care, and showed few care gaps, while stage 2 identified several service gaps and unmet needs. The themes that emerged included acceptance and life-facing diabetes and diabetes disease encounters, with several codes captured under the theme. Stage 3 included a theme for diabetes self-care. The usefulness of apps, good communication by the care team and facilitators of self-care were also mentioned. The major unmet needs perceived by the participant were patient-centeredness and personalized care in primary care settings.ConclusionWhile the current diabetes care system was efficacious, areas for improvement exist, and patients expressed a desire for more patient-centered and personalized care, particularly in primary care settings. These findings offer valuable insights into T2DM management and highlight potential areas for enhancing healthcare delivery.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1588192/fulldiabetespatient journeyexperience mapqualitativeself-carepre-diagnosis |
| spellingShingle | P. V. AshaRani Kumarasan Roystonn Madhumitha Ramu Yeow Wee Brian Tan Fiona Devi M. Iskander Shah Peizhi Wang Sum Chee Fang Tavintharan Subramaniam Lee Eng Sing Lee Eng Sing Chong Siow Ann Mythily Subramaniam Mythily Subramaniam Through the eyes of the patients: a qualitative study of diabetes patients’ experiences navigating the healthcare system Frontiers in Endocrinology diabetes patient journey experience map qualitative self-care pre-diagnosis |
| title | Through the eyes of the patients: a qualitative study of diabetes patients’ experiences navigating the healthcare system |
| title_full | Through the eyes of the patients: a qualitative study of diabetes patients’ experiences navigating the healthcare system |
| title_fullStr | Through the eyes of the patients: a qualitative study of diabetes patients’ experiences navigating the healthcare system |
| title_full_unstemmed | Through the eyes of the patients: a qualitative study of diabetes patients’ experiences navigating the healthcare system |
| title_short | Through the eyes of the patients: a qualitative study of diabetes patients’ experiences navigating the healthcare system |
| title_sort | through the eyes of the patients a qualitative study of diabetes patients experiences navigating the healthcare system |
| topic | diabetes patient journey experience map qualitative self-care pre-diagnosis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1588192/full |
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