Patients’ lived experiences, attitudes, and skills on insulin self-administration among diabetic patients: a cross-sectional study

Diabetes is a chronic impairing illness that is very widespread, expanding, and remains highly prevalent with an increasing incidence globally. This research aimed to explore the lived experiences, skill levels, and attitudes of type II diabetic individuals who are utilizing insulin. This research is a cross-sectional study that further investigates individuals with type II diabetes visiting the endocrinology and diabetes center at Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, from August to October 2024. A purposive sampling method that does not use probability was applied to a group of 150 patients. Information was gathered through in-person interviews that adhered to a specific questionnaire format aimed at capturing demographic information and assessing participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices. We enrolled patients older than 18 years who were undergoing insulin treatment. SPSS version 27 was utilized to analyze the data. Less than one quarter (16.7%) of the 150 participants had fair knowledge, while over three quarters of the patients had strong knowledge. Of the 150 respondents, 5 (3.3%) had bad practice, 47 (32.0%) had average practice, and 64.6% had good practice. There is a clear correlation between the patient’s age and practice level and the demographic variables of occupation, marital status, and educational attainment. The study primarily found that patients with diabetes require positive attitudes, adequate knowledge, and appropriate practices regarding insulin self-administration. To address these gaps, structured patient education and regular demonstrations of insulin injection should be incorporated into every hospital stay.