Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Internal Medicine

.: ORIGINAL RESEARCH
COVID-19 Experiences of Diabetes Patients: A Qualitative Study
Diyabet Hastalarının COVID-19 Deneyimleri: Kalitatif Çalışma
Dilek BÜYÜKKAYA BESENa , Hamdiye ARDA SÜRÜCÜb, Devrim DÖLEK ÇETİNKAYAc, Merve DERVİŞOĞLUa, Lale ŞAHİNd, Mehtap ERTAŞd
aDepartment of Internal Medicine Nursing, Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Nursing, İzmir, Türkiye
bDepartment of Internal Medicine Nursing, Dicle University Atatürk Faculty of Health Sciences, Diyarbakır, Türkiye
cDepartment of Endocrine and Metabolism, Bakırçay University Çiğli Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Türkiye
dDiabetes Education Unit, Bakırçay University Çiğli Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Türkiye
Turkiye Klinikleri J Intern Med. 2023;8(1):8-18
doi: 10.5336/intermed.2022-93285
Article Language: EN
Full Text
ABSTRACT
 Introduction: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has become the most important pandemic affecting humanity in the last 100 years. Like many individuals with chronic diseases, individuals with diabetes have also been affected by the process. Determining the experiences and needs of individuals with diabetes during the pandemic process and identifying the situations that prevent diabetes management will provide the basis for producing solutions in this and the following crisis periods. Objective: In this study, it was conducted to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic affects individuals with diabetes, their needs, and diabetes management. Material and Methods: The study is descriptive qualitative research. After data saturation, the final sample consisted of a total of 25 individuals with diabetes. Interviews were conducted under the guidance of standardized questions prepared by the researchers and voice recordings of the participants were taken. Results: In the analysis of the research, descriptive analysis was carried out by using the inductive method. The main themes and sub-themes obtained in the analysis of the data; emotions experienced by individuals with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic process (fear, anxiety et.al.), physical/psychosocial problems of individuals with diabetes (decreased physical activity, deterioration in sleep patterns, weight gain, mental stress et.al.), met/unmet physical and psychosocial needs/expectations of individuals with diabetes during the pandemic process (access to medical supplies, home health services, tele-health et.al.), diabetes management (glycemic variability, frequency of glucometer use et.al.). Conclusion: The study revealed that individuals with diabetes have physical, psychological, social problems and unmet needs during the pandemic process. It also shows the power of health services and the aspects that need to be structured.

Keywords: COVID-19; pandemic; diabetes management; qualitative; experience
ÖZET
 Giriş: Koronavirüs hastalığı-2019 [coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)], son 100 yılda insanlığı etkileyen en önemli pandemi hâline gelmiştir. Kronik hastalığa sahip birçok birey gibi diyabetli bireyler de süreçten etkilenmiştir. Diyabetli bireylerin pandemi sürecindeki deneyimlerini, ihtiyaçlarını belirlemek ve diyabet yönetimine engel olan durumları saptamak, bu ve bundan sonraki kriz dönemlerinde çözüm üretilebilmesine temel sağlayacaktır. Amaç: Bu çalışma, COVID-19 pandemisinin diyabetli bireyleri nasıl etkilediğini, ihtiyaçlarını, diyabet yönetimlerini belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışma, tanımlayıcı niteliksel bir araştırmadır. Veri doygunluğundan sonra son örneklemi toplam 25 diyabetli birey oluşturmuştur. Görüşmeler, araştırmacılar tarafından hazırlanan standardize sorular rehberliğinde yürütülmüş ve katılımcıların ses kayıtları alınmıştır. Bulgular: Araştırmanın analizinde, tümevarımsal yöntem kullanılarak betimsel analiz yapılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde elde edilen ana temalar ve alt temalar; COVID-19 pandemi sürecinde diyabetli bireylerin yaşadığı duygular (korku, endişe vb.), diyabetli bireylerin fiziksel/psikososyal sorunları (fiziksel aktivitede azalma, uyku düzeninde bozulma, kilo artışı, zihinsel stres vb.), diyabetli bireylerin pandemi sürecinde karşılanan/karşılanmayan fiziksel ve psikososyal ihtiyaçları/beklentileri (tıbbi malzemeye erişim, evde sağlık hizmetleri, telesağlık vb.), diyabet yönetimi (glisemik dalgalanma, glikometre kullanım sıklığı vb.) olarak belirlenmiştir. Sonuç: Çalışma, diyabetli bireylerin pandemi sürecinde yaşadıkları fiziksel, psikolojik, sosyal sorunlarının ve karşılanmayan ihtiyaçlarının olduğunu ortaya çıkarmıştır. Ayrıca sağlık hizmetlerinin gücünün ve yapılandırılması gereken yönleri olduğunu göstermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler: COVID-19; pandemi; diyabet yönetimi; kalitatif; deneyim
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