Selbsteingeschätzte Versorgungsqualität des Diabetes

People with diabetes should be actively involved in their healthcare. Their perspective on the quality of care in the interaction with the medical team is therefore meaningful, e.g., with respect to setting individual therapy goals.

As part of a nationwide, population-based survey in Germany, quality of care was assessed from the perspective of people with type 2 diabetes aged 45 years and over and examined in relation to sociodemographic, disease- and care-related characteristics in order to identify potential for improvement.

The self-assessed quality of care was determined using the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care–DAWN short form (PACIC-DSF), a survey instrument consisting of nine individual components. A higher mean value of the PACIC-DSF score or of the nine components (scale: 1–5 in each case) indicates a better self-assessed quality of care in the last year.

The overall quality of care for type 2 diabetes was rated as moderate (2.4). Women, people aged 80 years and over and people with a duration of diabetes < 5 years rated their quality of care as less good in comparison to the reference groups. Participation in diabetes self-management education (DSME), medical diagnostic measures, medication (particularly insulin), and blood glucose self-monitoring (particularly continuous glucose monitoring) were associated with a better self-assessed quality of care. More than half of the respondents stated that they had rarely or never experienced most of the PACIC-DSF components in the last year, e.g. being encouraged to participate in DSME or asked about adverse effects of medication and individual treatment goals.

The results indicate that a stronger implementation of person-centered treatment appears necessary. People with a short duration of diabetes and without medication could be more closely involved, e.g., by asking them about their wishes regarding treatment. DSME and medical diagnostic measures may improve the quality of care.