Table 1.
Categorical Insulin Treatment Appraisal Scale responses of persons with diabetes in Barbados by insulin treatment status.
| Item | Insulin treatment | Strongly disagree and disagree n (%) |
Neutral n (%) | Strongly agree and agree n (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Taking insulin means you have failed to manage your diabetes with diet and tablet | No insulin Insulin |
22(24) 11(42) |
14(15) 3(12) |
55(61) 12(46) |
| 2. Taking insulin means your diabetes has become much worse (p = 0.001)* | No insulin Insulin |
10(11) 14(53) |
11(12) 3(12) |
70(77) 9(35) |
| 3. Taking insulin helps to prevent complications of diabetes | No insulin Insulin |
11(12) 1(4) |
28(31) 6(23) |
52(57) 19(73) |
| 4. Taking insulin means other people see you as a sicker person | No insulin Insulin |
25(27) 14(54) |
20(22) 4(15) |
46(51) 8(31) |
| 5. Taking insulin makes life less flexible | No insulin Insulin |
40(44) 18(70) |
27(30) 4(15) |
24(26) 4(15) |
| 6. You’re afraid of injecting yourself with a needle. (p < 0.0001) | No insulin Insulin |
24(27) 21(81) |
2(2) 2(7) |
65(71) 3(12) |
| 7. Taking insulin increases the risk of low blood glucose levels (hypoglycaemia). | No insulin Insulin |
13(14) 15(58) |
39(43) 5(19) |
39(43) 6(23) |
| 8. Taking insulin helps to improve your health. | No insulin Insulin |
14(16) 2(8) |
27(30) 6(23) |
49(54) 18(69) |
| 9. Insulin causes weight gain. | No insulin Insulin |
15(16) 10(39) |
56(62) 4(15) |
20(22) 12(46) |
| 10. Managing insulin injections takes a lot of time and energy (p = 0.02) | No insulin Insulin |
26(28) 21(81) |
29(32) 1(4) |
36(40) 4(15) |
| 11. Taking insulin means you have to give up activities you enjoy | No insulin Insulin |
63(69) 23(88) |
18(20) 1(4) |
10(11) 2(8) |
| 12. Taking insulin means your health will deteriorate | No insulin Insulin |
51(56) 21(81) |
25(27) 4(15) |
15(17) 1(4) |
| 13. Injecting insulin is embarrassing. | No insulin Insulin |
11(12) 1(4) |
28(31) 6(23) |
52(57) 19(73) |
| 14. Injecting insulin is painful (p = 0.001) | No insulin Insulin |
15(17) 19(73) |
18(20) 2(8) |
57(63) 5(19) |
| 15. It is difficult to inject the right amount of insulin correctly at the right time every day. | No insulin Insulin |
35(38) 19(73) |
25(27) 1(4) |
31(34) 6(23) |
| 16. Taking insulin makes it more difficult to fulfil my responsibilities (at work or home). | No insulin Insulin |
55(60) 23(88) |
27(30) 1(4) |
9(10) 2(8) |
| 17. Taking insulin helps to maintain good control of blood glucose. | No insulin Insulin |
4(4) 0(0) |
19(21) 2(8) |
67(75) 23(92) |
| 18. Being on insulin causes family and friends to be more concerned about you. | No insulin Insulin |
12(13) 8(31) |
19(21) 4(15) |
60(66) 14(54) |
| 19. Taking insulin helps to improve your energy level | No insulin Insulin |
8(9) 4(15) |
53(58) 13(50) |
30(33) 9(35) |
| 20. Taking insulin makes you more dependent on your doctor | No insulin Insulin |
22(24) 13(50) |
30(33) 7(27) |
39(43) 6(23) |
*
Bold text indicates a statistically significant difference between those taking insulin and those not taking insulin.