The Experience of Living with Diabetes for Low-income Canadians

OBJECTIVE: To enhance understanding about how living on a low income affects patients' self-management of type 2 diabetes, from their perspective. METHOD: A qualitative inquiry using semi-structured interviews was conducted to explore the experiences of low-income persons with type 2 diabetes. Participants were 60 patients from 4 community health centres in a large Canadian city. RESULTS: An overarching theme and 3 sub-themes were generated, which describe participants' struggle to survive and manage their diabetes as best they can, given their circumstances. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the importance of providing patient-centred care, incorporating poverty as a clinical risk factor, assisting patients to access resources and advocacy to bring about policy changes needed to prevent and properly manage diabetes.