Background: In 2024, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) – a public health challenge – affected 589 million adults worldwide. In South Africa, the prevalence is estimated at 15%, contributing to approximately 3.4 million deaths. Achieving optimal glycaemic control in patients is challenging, resulting in preventable complications and deaths. Systemic reforms and targeted interventions are urgently required. Aim: To identify barriers faced by healthcare professionals (HCPs) to effectively manage patients with T2DM. Setting: A survey was conducted in the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, Gauteng province, South Africa. Methods: The study involved 205 HCPs across 22 clinics and 6 community health centres from May 2022 to June 2022. Data were analysed descriptively. Categorical variables were compared using Fisher’s exact test and a p-value of 10 years experience (65%) and had academic and in-house training on T2DM (38.5%). Key barriers faced by HCPs in managing patients with T2DM included workload making it difficult monitor patients (53%) and screen for complications (57%), time pressures to deliver quality care (59%) and educate patients (69%), inadequate insulin initiation knowledge (68%) and lack of continuity of care (62%). Conclusion: Excessive workloads, insufficient staffing, time pressures, insulin inertia, and knowledge gaps – impede the delivery of personalised care, patient education and monitoring. Contribution: Addressing these challenges will require collaborative care models, workforce optimisation, targeted training, better resource allocation and health technology and can significantly improve patient outcomes and alleviate burden among HCPs.
Mogale et al. (Tue,) studied this question.