Diabetes self-management and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of older adults living in Barbados
Purpose: Diabetes mellitus (diabetes) is a major health concern in Barbados. In 2013, the reported prevalence (18.7%) was double global levels, with diabetes accounting for 10.4% of total deaths in 2016. Barbados has a rapidly aging population and older adults living with diabetes are more at risk o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Dialogues in Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772653323000151 |
| _version_ | 1797796297145581568 |
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| author | Jamie Hinds Natalie Greaves Heather Harewood |
| author_facet | Jamie Hinds Natalie Greaves Heather Harewood |
| author_sort | Jamie Hinds |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: Diabetes mellitus (diabetes) is a major health concern in Barbados. In 2013, the reported prevalence (18.7%) was double global levels, with diabetes accounting for 10.4% of total deaths in 2016. Barbados has a rapidly aging population and older adults living with diabetes are more at risk of developing complications. Poorly managed diabetes represents a high burden for individuals and society due to direct healthcare costs for treatment, and to indirect costs due to loss of productivity from disability and premature mortality. Good diabetes self-management promotes glycemic control. Self-management is enhanced by social support and challenged by external shocks. This study explored the role of social support in diabetes self-management among older people in Barbados during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Qualitative secondary thematic analysis of semi-structured individual telephone interviews with adults aged 65-84 years living with diabetes in Barbados during a partial COVID-19 lockdown period. Sampling was purposive, aided by gatekeepers who provide services to elderly people. Verbatim interview transcripts coded using an inductive method were subjected to thematic analysis by three qualitative researchers using NVIVO software. Results: Four organising themes: “Balance”, “Social Capital”, “Resilience”, and “Adaptations to COVID-19”, informed the global theme “Adaptive Diabetes Self-Management Response”, which captures resilience mechanisms of older adults who balanced facilitators including self-reliance and religious faith, and barriers such as perceived ageist discrimination in workplace policies designed to reduce COVID-19 exposure. Accordingly, elderly Barbadians living with diabetes were resilient, selectively incorporating available social support mechanisms to maintain self-management and overall well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The emergent evidence for resilience among older persons in this setting is important for informing health system interventions to improve quality of life for PLWD. The views of the elderly should be explicitly considered in policies designed to enhance the self-management of chronic health conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T03:31:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fc544800874a41a0b2c0f91668eca0a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2772-6533 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T03:31:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Dialogues in Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-fc544800874a41a0b2c0f91668eca0a42023-06-24T05:20:11ZengElsevierDialogues in Health2772-65332023-12-012100111Diabetes self-management and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of older adults living in BarbadosJamie Hinds0Natalie Greaves1Heather Harewood2Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown, BarbadosFaculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown, BarbadosCorresponding author at: Department of Preclinical and Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Office of Graduate Affairs, Leslie Robinson Building, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown BB11000, Barbados.; Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown, BarbadosPurpose: Diabetes mellitus (diabetes) is a major health concern in Barbados. In 2013, the reported prevalence (18.7%) was double global levels, with diabetes accounting for 10.4% of total deaths in 2016. Barbados has a rapidly aging population and older adults living with diabetes are more at risk of developing complications. Poorly managed diabetes represents a high burden for individuals and society due to direct healthcare costs for treatment, and to indirect costs due to loss of productivity from disability and premature mortality. Good diabetes self-management promotes glycemic control. Self-management is enhanced by social support and challenged by external shocks. This study explored the role of social support in diabetes self-management among older people in Barbados during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Qualitative secondary thematic analysis of semi-structured individual telephone interviews with adults aged 65-84 years living with diabetes in Barbados during a partial COVID-19 lockdown period. Sampling was purposive, aided by gatekeepers who provide services to elderly people. Verbatim interview transcripts coded using an inductive method were subjected to thematic analysis by three qualitative researchers using NVIVO software. Results: Four organising themes: “Balance”, “Social Capital”, “Resilience”, and “Adaptations to COVID-19”, informed the global theme “Adaptive Diabetes Self-Management Response”, which captures resilience mechanisms of older adults who balanced facilitators including self-reliance and religious faith, and barriers such as perceived ageist discrimination in workplace policies designed to reduce COVID-19 exposure. Accordingly, elderly Barbadians living with diabetes were resilient, selectively incorporating available social support mechanisms to maintain self-management and overall well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The emergent evidence for resilience among older persons in this setting is important for informing health system interventions to improve quality of life for PLWD. The views of the elderly should be explicitly considered in policies designed to enhance the self-management of chronic health conditions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772653323000151DiabetesSelf-managementOlder adultsBarbadosCOVID-19Social support |
| spellingShingle | Jamie Hinds Natalie Greaves Heather Harewood Diabetes self-management and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of older adults living in Barbados Dialogues in Health Diabetes Self-management Older adults Barbados COVID-19 Social support |
| title | Diabetes self-management and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of older adults living in Barbados |
| title_full | Diabetes self-management and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of older adults living in Barbados |
| title_fullStr | Diabetes self-management and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of older adults living in Barbados |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diabetes self-management and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of older adults living in Barbados |
| title_short | Diabetes self-management and social support during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of older adults living in Barbados |
| title_sort | diabetes self management and social support during the covid 19 pandemic perspectives of older adults living in barbados |
| topic | Diabetes Self-management Older adults Barbados COVID-19 Social support |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772653323000151 |
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