Satisfaction level of glycemic control in patients with diabetes and its related factors

Although the current guidelines recommend the use of "individualized" HbA1c goals for patient-centered diabetes care, information regarding the satisfaction of patients with their glycemic control is insufficient. In this study, we aimed to clarify the satisfaction of patients with their glycemic control and to determine the related factors. Outpatients with diabetes were asked to answer questionnaires that included a question about their satisfaction with their glycemic control, and responses were obtained from 254 patients with type 2 diabetes and 22 patients with type 1 diabetes. Twenty-eight percent of the patients answered "satisfied", while 18 % answered "not satisfied". The satisfaction with glycemic control was significantly correlated with HbA1c, adherence to dietary therapy, satisfaction with doctor and clinic, satisfaction with medical cost, intention to drop out and satisfaction with diabetes treatment. Thus, patient satisfaction with glycemic control should be recognized as an important patient-reported outcome, and may be affected by the self-efficacy of dietary therapy and the patient's relationship with medical staff.