The patients explanatory models of diabetes at the university teaching hosipital in lusaka

Abstract

Introduction: Despite concordance between the Explanatory Models of patients and those of the health care providers showing a positive impact on patient’s outcomes and self-care, little is known about the patients’ Explanatory Models of diabetes in Zambia. It is, therefore, important, that this study on understanding the patient’s explanatory models of diabetes at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka is explored. Methodology: The study took a qualitative approach in particular case study. The area of study was UTH Clinic Five. Data was collected through in-depth interviews in which 20 adults above the age of 18 were interviewed. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and coded into themes which were informed by Kleinman’s explanatory models of disease. Data was then analysed using thematic analysis. Ethical clearance was sought from Excellency in Research Ethics and Science (ERES) with reference number 2014-May-037. Results: The study found that most diabetes patients associate the cause of diabetes to consumption causes, biological causes such as genetics, psychosocial stress and supernatural causes such as witchcraft. It was also reviewed in this study that the diabetes patients’ understanding of the signs of diabetes was similar to the biomedical information although the patients understood the signs of diabetes through body listening other than from biomedical information availed to them. In the study, participants mentioned two categories of treatment which were traditional and conventional treatment. Following good diet was the commonly mentioned way of diabetes prevention. The study revealed that the diabetes patients had challenges with the availability of authentic information on the cause, signs, treatment, and prevention of diabetes. The study also established that there was a need to scale up availing authentic information to the patients which would be very helpful to their self-management and care for the disease. Conclusion: The study showed that despite some of the similarities between the patients’ explanatory models of diabetes and that of the biomedical model, the patients drew their explanatory model mainly from their experience through body listening and observation from the fellow patients’ experiences.