Factors Associated with Patient Treatment Satisfaction in Diabetes Mellitus Care Using the DTSQs: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia

Saleh F Alqifari,1 Palanisamy Amirthalingam,1 Kousalya Prabahar,1 Khulood A Qasem,2 Fawaz E Alanazi,3 Tariq Alrasheed,4 Noura A Al-Ajlan,5 Ahmed Aljabri6 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, Sulaiman Alrajhi University, Al Bukairiyah, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Pharmacy, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Saleh F Alqifari, Email [email protected]: Patient satisfaction is crucial in managing chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus (DM). This study aims to identify the key factors associated with patient satisfaction with DM treatment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Methods: This cross-sectional study collected data from 709 participants country-wide via an online survey. Participants included patients receiving care from public and private healthcare facilities offering primary or specialized diabetes care. Patient satisfaction was assessed using the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQs), with chi-square tests for HbA1c control and Mann–Whitney U-tests for comparisons of means between groups.Results: Governmental healthcare patients had higher satisfaction (Mean = 27.32, SD = 7.62) than private (Mean = 25.5, SD = 8.51) (p = 0.007). Patient treatment satisfaction was also greater in diabetes centers (Mean = 28.93, SD = 6.34), than in primary care (Mean = 25.45, SD = 8.51), (p= < 0.001). Although overall treatment satisfaction scores did not differ significantly between controlled and uncontrolled diabetes (p= 0.784), patients with controlled diabetes experienced significantly fewer hyperglycemic and hypoglycemic episodes, (p= < 0.001), and higher satisfaction with treatment flexibility (p= 0.006), diabetes understanding (p= 0.013) and willingness to recommend their treatment to others (p= < 0.001).Conclusion: Mode of healthcare delivery (public or private hospitals) and choice between primary care or diabetes centers was significantly associated with treatment satisfaction with greater satisfaction in governmental healthcare and specialized diabetes centers. Glycemic control, measured by HbA1c, showed no significant association with overall treatment satisfaction but was associated with specific item scores (including satisfaction with understanding and treatment flexibility). This study is among the first in Saudi Arabia to compare DM treatment satisfaction across different healthcare settings using the DTSQs. Recognizing these associations can provide healthcare professionals with valuable insights for more successful treatment of diabetes patients and ultimately improve patient outcomes.Keywords: treatment satisfaction, diabetes mellitus, healthcare delivery, glycated hemoglobin, HbA1c, diabetes treatment