Table 1. Frequency of errors and successes in the self-administration of insulin. Northwest Sanitary District. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, 2015 (N=148).

Variables		Performance of the procedure
		Yes									No
		Properly			Improperly			Total			n	%
		n	%		n	%		N	%
Pre-application
	Handwashing	19	90.5		2	9.5		21	14.2		127	85.8
	Withdrawal of insulin from the refrigerator (n=141)	39	59.1		27	40.9		66	46.8		75	53.2
	Organization of the material for use (n=147)	102	87.2		15	12.8		117	79.6		30	20.4
	Differentiation of insulin types (n=42)	36	97.3		1	2.7		37	88.1		5	11.9
Application technique
	Rotation of application sites	76	82.6		16	17.4		92	62.2		56	37.8
	Application site delimitation	109	91.6		10	8.4		119	80.4		29	19.6
	Disinfection of the insulin vial (n=140)	46	88.5		6	11.5		52	37.1		88	62.9
	Shaking NPH insulin (n=141)	80	80.0		20	20.0		100	70.9		41	29.1
	Aspiration of regular insulin before NPH (n=28)	19	95.0		1	5.0		20	71.4		8	28.6
	Aspiration of the prescribed dose of insulin (n=143)	120	100.0		0	0.0		120	83.9		23	16.1
	Aspiration of air into the syringe and injection (n=140)	36	100.0		0	0.0		36	25.7		104	74.3
	Removal of air bubbles (n=125)	46	76.7		14	23.3		60	48.0		65	52.0
	Skin pinching for application	99	94.3		6	5.7		105	70.9		43	29.1
	90º angulation for needle insertion	105	100.0		0	0.0		105	70.9		43	29.1
	Subcutaneous needle insertion	127	93.4		9	6.6		136	91.9		12	8.1
	Wait time to withdraw of needle	44	89.8		5	10.2		49	33.1		99	66.9
Post-application
	Care in reusing the needle (n=142)	106	85.5		18	14.5		124	87.3		18	12.7
	Disposal of sharps into a hard flask (n=145)	39	50.0		39	50.0		78	53.8		67	46.2
	Bleeding: pressure on the application site (n=127)	42	68.9		19	31.1		61	48.0		66	52.0
	Storage of the opened insulin vial up to 30°C (n=147)	71	59.7		48	40.3		119	81.0		28	19.0