Views regarding self-administration of insulin among Gozitan individuals who rely on community nurses to administer their insulin

Abstract

Individuals who are insulin- treated need to self- inject insulin daily. These individuals consequently need to learn how to self- inject to be independent in their self-care. Failure to do so results in dependence affecting the individual's quality of life. Moreover, most end relying on community nurses resulting in an increased demand on the community health services. Thirty-nine Gozitan individuals currently rely on community nurses (M.M.D.N.A.) to administer insulin injections. This study aimed at identifying why clients on insulin treatment relied on community nurses to administer insulin. A structured personal interview was conducted on a sample of 24 Gozitan participants (71%) who relied on community nurses to administer insulin. The sample was predominantly female (n = 21) aged between 51 and 90 years and most of them had type diabetes. 88% (n = 21) reported to be fully dependent on the community nurse to prepare the insulin dose and inject them. Physical problems and needle phobia were found to be the commonest reasons for this dependency. Lack of education about self- injection was found in those who never tried to self- inject insulin. Lack of self- efficacy was found to be the commonest reason for the participants to believe that preparing and self- injecting insulin is difficult or not. The majority of the participants reported that nothing could be done for them to start preparing and self- injecting insulin. Individualized education about self- injection must be offered to all individuals started on insulin therapy addressing self- efficacy and any problems with self-injection.