Do medical professionals understand barriers to and motivations for self-management of diabetes by working patients?

In many countries there has been a shift toward a more patient-centered education in self-management of chronic diseases. To provide patient-centered education health professionals have to understand their patients. A qualitative study was conducted to examine whether medical professionals understand the experience of working adult patients self-managing diabetes. Twelve patients with Type II diabetes and paid jobs, and six medical professionals from a hospital in Wuhan, China were interviewed face-to-face in November 2015. Social pressure regarding drinking was a newly discovered work-related barrier to self-management. The results show that the medical professionals were able to identify some work related problems faced by patients. However, they failed to identify adverse physical responses, craving for certain food items, and social drinking as major barriers in patients’ self-management practices. They also failed to identity family goals and family responsibilities as patients’ motivations of self-management.