Perspectives on the Attitudes of Healthcare Professionals toward Diabetes in Community Health Settings in United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Background: Diabetes is a chronic disease that is associated with high cost and health care utilization. Attitudes of healthcare professionals (HCPs) toward diabetes have a significant impact on quality of diabetes care. Although the prevalence of diabetes in the Arabian Gulf region is alarming, little is known about attitudes of HCPs toward the disease. Methods: This study evaluates the attitudes of 337 HCPs toward diabetes in United Arab Emirates (UAE) including physicians, pharmacists, nurses and dietitians using the Diabetes Attitudes Scale (DAS-3). Data were analyzed descriptively and one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for comparative analyses. Overall, HCPs groups demonstrated relatively adequate attitudes toward diabetes (mean = 3.80, SD = 0.45). Results: The highest score reported by HCPs groups was on the need for special training subscale (M = 4.49, SD = 0.38) and the lowest score was seen on patient autonomy subscale (M = 3.31, SD = 0.45). Physicians showed significantly higher positive attitudes on need for special training, seriousness of diabetes, value of tight glycemic control, and psychosocial aspects of diabetes than other HCPs groups (P values < 0.005); whereas nurses scored the highest on patient autonomy subscale. Pharmacists demonstrated the lowest negative attitudes among HCPs groups on all diabetes attitudes subscales. Conclusions: We recommend conducting more continuing education programs (CEPs) on diabetes care in the UAE, with greater emphasis on patient autonomy. An interdisciplinary approach that is patients’ centered is needed to provide efficient diabetes care.