Table 3.

Themes Related to Diabetes

Theme	Quotes
Diabetes is overwhelming the health system and community	“When you talk about a boat crash, the boat is already sinking.” “We're losing the battle.”
Inability to prevent or treat complications	“Here if you have kidney problems from diabetes, you're going to die”
Need to integrate prevention and treatment	“Public health and curative services are like two legs… If you tie them, you can't go anywhere. Too far apart, and you fall down.”
Attitude of fatalism, fear, and denial of potential medical consequences	“Our perception of disease is pain. Diabetes doesn't have the cardinal features of illness that we know – fever, pain, etc. People feel OK.” “They think it's God's Will. That's hogwash, it's not God's Will at all.”