Purpose: The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to identify the needs and barriers to diabetes dietary education issues in a Chinese context among people with type 2 diabetes and also their family members.
Patients and Methods: Nineteen patients with type 2 diabetes and 15 family members were randomly selected from a larger study in Guangzhou. Descriptive phenomenological qualitative inquiry guided this study.
Results: Both patients and their family members claimed a variety of needs regarding diabetes dietary information and that it should be patient-centered. In addition, both groups identified the effectiveness and helpfulness of diabetes diet-related health education, but family members reported a lack of professional education. Patients reported that the barriers to diabetes diet-related health education were: 1) patients’ different faculties of memory and acceptance, 2) educators’ methods of explaining the information, 3) lack of advertising and intensity of publicity both inside and outside of the hospital. Family members identified that diabetes diet-related health education assisted them with taking care of patients with diabetes and it was also beneficial for themselves to gain more dietary knowledge and develop healthy dietary habits.
Conclusion: It is necessary to make some adjustment to traditional diabetes dietary education. It may be a good strategy to investigate the needs and faculties of memory and acceptance of people with diabetes before starting a diabetes education program. Hospitals should intensify their publicity of diabetes education and make it more attractive to patients with diabetes and their family members. Educators should add information specifically for family members while conducting diabetes education. Tertiary hospitals could provide standardized training regarding diabetes-related health education to community family physicians; in this way, diabetes education could gradually be transferred to them and both groups of clinicians could share in the education.
Keywords: diabetes, family members, dietary education, needs, barriers, qualitative