Understanding Physicians’ Challenges When Treating Type 2 Diabetic Patients’ Social and Emotional Difficulties

• DOI: 10.2337/dc10-2298
• Publication Date: 2011-03-17T00:40:25Z
• Authors: Elizabeth A. Beverly; Brittney A. Hultgren; Kelly M. Brooks; Marilyn D. Ritholz; Martin J. Abrahamson; Katie Weinger
• Keywords: Seriousness; Thematic Analysis; Social emotional learning

To explore physicians' awareness of and responses to type 2 diabetic patients' social emotional difficulties.We conducted semistructured interviews with 19 physicians. Interviews were transcribed, coded, analyzed using thematic analysis.Three themes emerged: 1) difficulties: physicians recognized the frequency seriousness difficulties; 2) many reported that intervening these difficulties was challenging few treatment options beyond making referrals, individualizing care, recommending more frequent follow-up visits; 3) impact on physicians: available patient options, time constraints, a perceived lack psychological expertise contributed feeling frustrated, inadequate, overwhelmed.Recognition understanding challenges when treating diabetes are important for developing programmatic interventions.