Patients’ Perspective About the Cost of Diabetes Management: An Analysis of Online Health Communities

Objective: To understand the perspectives of persons’ living with diabetes about the increasing cost of diabetes management through an analysis of online health communities (OHCs) and the impact of persons’ participation in OHCs on their capacity and treatment burden. Patients and Methods: A qualita...

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Main Authors: Catherine C. Gao, MD, Nataly R. Espinoza Suarez, MD, Freddy J.K. Toloza, MD, Ariana S. Malaga Zuniga, Sarah R. McCarthy, PhD, MPH, LP, Kasey R. Boehmer, MPH, PhD, Lixia Yao, PhD, Sunyang Fu, PhD, Juan P. Brito, MD, MSc
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2021-10-01
Series:Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542454821001107
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author Catherine C. Gao, MD
Nataly R. Espinoza Suarez, MD
Freddy J.K. Toloza, MD
Ariana S. Malaga Zuniga
Sarah R. McCarthy, PhD, MPH, LP
Kasey R. Boehmer, MPH, PhD
Lixia Yao, PhD
Sunyang Fu, PhD
Juan P. Brito, MD, MSc
author_facet Catherine C. Gao, MD
Nataly R. Espinoza Suarez, MD
Freddy J.K. Toloza, MD
Ariana S. Malaga Zuniga
Sarah R. McCarthy, PhD, MPH, LP
Kasey R. Boehmer, MPH, PhD
Lixia Yao, PhD
Sunyang Fu, PhD
Juan P. Brito, MD, MSc
author_sort Catherine C. Gao, MD
collection DOAJ
description Objective: To understand the perspectives of persons’ living with diabetes about the increasing cost of diabetes management through an analysis of online health communities (OHCs) and the impact of persons’ participation in OHCs on their capacity and treatment burden. Patients and Methods: A qualitative study of 556 blog posts submitted between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2017 to 4 diabetes social networking sites was conducted between March 2018 and July 2019. All posts were coded inductively using thematic analysis procedures. Eton’s Burden of Treatment Framework and Boehmer’s Theory of Patient Capacity directed triangulation of themes with existing theory. Results: Three themes were identified: (1) cost barriers to care: participants describe individual and systemic cost barriers that inhibit prescribed therapy goals; (2) impact of financial cost on health: participants describe the financial effects of care on their physical and emotional health; and (3) saving strategies to overcome cost impact: participants discuss practical strategies that help them achieve therapy goals. Finally, we also identify that the use of OHCs serves to increase persons’ capacity with the potential to decrease treatment burden, ultimately improving mental and physical health. Conclusion: High cost for diabetes care generated barriers that negatively affected physical health and emotional states. Participant-shared experiences in OHCs increased participants’ capacity to manage the burden. Potential solutions include cost-based shared decision-making tools and advocacy for policy change.
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spelling doaj.art-7cf3e8ef6a0449b69d703e9adf9e6e652022-12-21T21:26:59ZengElsevierMayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes2542-45482021-10-0155898906Patients’ Perspective About the Cost of Diabetes Management: An Analysis of Online Health CommunitiesCatherine C. Gao, MD0Nataly R. Espinoza Suarez, MD1Freddy J.K. Toloza, MD2Ariana S. Malaga Zuniga3Sarah R. McCarthy, PhD, MPH, LP4Kasey R. Boehmer, MPH, PhD5Lixia Yao, PhD6Sunyang Fu, PhD7Juan P. Brito, MD, MSc8Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine; Knowledge and Evaluation Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MNKnowledge and Evaluation Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MNKnowledge and Evaluation Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little RockKnowledge and Evaluation Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Ruprecht-Karls University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, GermanyKnowledge and Evaluation Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MNKnowledge and Evaluation Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MNDepartment of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MNDepartment of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MNKnowledge and Evaluation Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Correspondence: Address to Juan P. Brito, MD, MSc, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905.Objective: To understand the perspectives of persons’ living with diabetes about the increasing cost of diabetes management through an analysis of online health communities (OHCs) and the impact of persons’ participation in OHCs on their capacity and treatment burden. Patients and Methods: A qualitative study of 556 blog posts submitted between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2017 to 4 diabetes social networking sites was conducted between March 2018 and July 2019. All posts were coded inductively using thematic analysis procedures. Eton’s Burden of Treatment Framework and Boehmer’s Theory of Patient Capacity directed triangulation of themes with existing theory. Results: Three themes were identified: (1) cost barriers to care: participants describe individual and systemic cost barriers that inhibit prescribed therapy goals; (2) impact of financial cost on health: participants describe the financial effects of care on their physical and emotional health; and (3) saving strategies to overcome cost impact: participants discuss practical strategies that help them achieve therapy goals. Finally, we also identify that the use of OHCs serves to increase persons’ capacity with the potential to decrease treatment burden, ultimately improving mental and physical health. Conclusion: High cost for diabetes care generated barriers that negatively affected physical health and emotional states. Participant-shared experiences in OHCs increased participants’ capacity to manage the burden. Potential solutions include cost-based shared decision-making tools and advocacy for policy change.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542454821001107
spellingShingle Catherine C. Gao, MD
Nataly R. Espinoza Suarez, MD
Freddy J.K. Toloza, MD
Ariana S. Malaga Zuniga
Sarah R. McCarthy, PhD, MPH, LP
Kasey R. Boehmer, MPH, PhD
Lixia Yao, PhD
Sunyang Fu, PhD
Juan P. Brito, MD, MSc
Patients’ Perspective About the Cost of Diabetes Management: An Analysis of Online Health Communities
Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes
title Patients’ Perspective About the Cost of Diabetes Management: An Analysis of Online Health Communities
title_full Patients’ Perspective About the Cost of Diabetes Management: An Analysis of Online Health Communities
title_fullStr Patients’ Perspective About the Cost of Diabetes Management: An Analysis of Online Health Communities
title_full_unstemmed Patients’ Perspective About the Cost of Diabetes Management: An Analysis of Online Health Communities
title_short Patients’ Perspective About the Cost of Diabetes Management: An Analysis of Online Health Communities
title_sort patients perspective about the cost of diabetes management an analysis of online health communities
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542454821001107
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