Health Insurance Claims News
Diabetes patients 'more concerned about pain symptoms than doctors'
Accident and Injury Claims news2nd February 2010
About one-third of doctors and their patients with diabetes do not see eye to eye on the most important health conditions to manage, a new study has foundResearchers at the University of Michigan Medical School in the US surveyed 92 doctors and nearly 1,200 patients who had diabetes and hypertension. Of the 714 pairs, 28 per cent did not prioritise health conditions the same way, with the biggest discrepancy recorded among the sickest patients.
The study observed that doctors are often more concerned with the patient's risk of long-term complications from high blood sugar such as heart disease. In contrast, the patient tends to have more pressing concerns like back pain or depression.
"Both sets of priorities are valid, however we know from previous studies that issues like pain interfere with a person's ability to manage their diabetes," said the study lead author Donna M. Zulman.
She said that putting these types of symptomatic problems on the back-burner could lead to worse outcomes in diabetes and other chronic conditions.
On average, adults with diabetes have at least three other chronic health conditions meaning their doctors face the challenge of addressing multiple complex conditions in one visit.
Posted by Jessica Thompson
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