Table 3.
Self-Reported Reasons for Different Persistence Patterns
| Total N = 154 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Continuation (n=52) | ||
| Motivations for continuation of basal insulin, n (%) | ||
| Improved glycemic control | 41 | 78.8% |
| Belief that insulin is best for reducing risk of complications of diabetes | 33 | 63.5% |
| Instruction by physician/healthcare provider to continue | 28 | 53.8% |
| Improved physical feeling | 23 | 44.2% |
| Improved emotional wellbeing | 13 | 25.0% |
| Convenience of insulin relative to other diabetes treatments | 12 | 23.1% |
| Interruption (n=52) | ||
| More than one interruption, n (%) | 40 | 76.9% |
| Factors contributing to interruption, n (%) | ||
| Weight gain | 18 | 34.6% |
| Fear of potential side effects of insulin use | 16 | 30.8% |
| Hypoglycemia | 12 | 23.1% |
| Inconvenience of using insulin | 12 | 23.1% |
| Instruction by physician/healthcare provider to stop | 11 | 21.2% |
| Assessing whether diabetes could be managed without insulin | 11 | 21.2% |
| Cost of insulin therapy | 10 | 19.2% |
| Pain from injections | 9 | 17.3% |
| Preference for oral antidiabetic medications | 8 | 15.4% |
| Dislike/fear of needles | 7 | 13.5% |
| Insufficient glycemic control with insulin | 6 | 11.5% |
| Other | 2 | 3.8% |
| Factors contributing to restarting basal insulin, n (%) | ||
| Persuasion by physician/healthcare provider to restart | 36 | 69.2% |
| Persuasion by friends/family to restart | 19 | 36.5% |
| Insufficient glycemic control without insulin | 18 | 34.6% |
| Resolution of the issue that led to interruption | 8 | 15.4% |
| Other | 2 | 3.8% |
| Discontinuation (n=50) | ||
| Factors contributing to discontinuation, n (%) | ||
| Instruction by physician/healthcare provider to stop | 23 | 46.0% |
| Weight gain | 15 | 30.0% |
| Hypoglycemia | 12 | 24.0% |
| Dislike/fear of needles | 10 | 20.0% |
| Preference for oral antidiabetic medications | 10 | 20.0% |
| Cost of insulin therapy | 10 | 20.0% |
| Insufficient glycemic control with insulin | 8 | 16.0% |
| Sense that diabetes could be managed without insulin | 7 | 14.0% |
| Pain from injections | 6 | 12.0% |
| Inconvenience of using insulin | 5 | 10.0% |
| Fear of potential side effects of insulin use | 3 | 6.0% |
| Perception of insulin use by others | 1 | 2.0% |
| Other | 6 | 12.0% |
| Factors that could contribute to restarting basal insulin, n (%) | ||
| Persuasion by physician/healthcare provider to restart | 27 | 54.0% |
| Insufficient glycemic control without insulin | 22 | 44.0% |
| Persuasion by friends/family to restart | 12 | 24.0% |
| Nothing | 6 | 12.0% |
| Other | 2 | 4.0% |
Notes: Continuers had no gaps of ≥7 days in basal insulin treatment. Interrupters stopped basal insulin for ≥7 days within the first 6 months after initiation and since restarted basal insulin. Discontinuers stopped using basal insulin for ≥7 days within the first 6 months after initiation and had not restarted basal insulin by the time of the survey.