Researchers in Saudi Arabia asked people with Type 2 diabetes about the biggest challenges they face in managing their condition. They found that patients struggle with balancing work and self-care, dealing with cultural food traditions, accessing healthcare, handling emotions, and getting enough education about their disease. The study shows that doctors need to understand each patient’s unique situation—including their culture, work stress, and feelings—to help them manage diabetes better. This research suggests that one-size-fits-all approaches don’t work, and healthcare providers should create personalized plans that respect patients’ lives and backgrounds.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: What makes it difficult for people with Type 2 diabetes to manage their condition in Saudi Arabia, and what barriers do they face?
  • Who participated: Patients with Type 2 diabetes being treated at a university hospital in Qassim, Saudi Arabia. The exact number of participants wasn’t specified in the study details.
  • Key finding: Patients identified five major problem areas: struggling to change their lifestyle and eating habits, dealing with cultural food pressures, having trouble accessing healthcare and getting medications, experiencing emotional stress from their disease, and not receiving enough education about managing diabetes on their own.
  • What it means for you: If you have Type 2 diabetes, understanding these common barriers might help you recognize your own challenges. Healthcare providers should work with you personally to address your specific obstacles rather than giving everyone the same generic advice. This research suggests that better support, education, and emotional care can help people manage their diabetes more successfully.

The Research Details

This study used a qualitative research approach, which means researchers focused on understanding people’s experiences and feelings rather than collecting numbers and statistics. The team conducted face-to-face interviews with diabetes patients from September 2024 through January 2025, asking them open-ended questions about their challenges. All interviews were recorded and written out word-for-word, then carefully analyzed to find common themes and patterns in what patients said.

The researchers used a method called ’thematic analysis’ to organize the information. This means they read through all the interviews and grouped similar ideas together until five main themes emerged. This approach is particularly good for understanding complex, real-world problems because it captures the actual experiences and perspectives of the people living with the condition.

Understanding patients’ real-world experiences is crucial for improving diabetes care. While clinical trials can show what treatments work in controlled settings, qualitative research reveals why patients struggle to follow treatment plans and what obstacles they face in daily life. This information helps doctors and policymakers create better support systems that actually work for real people in their communities.

This study has several strengths: it directly asked patients about their experiences, used a systematic method to analyze the information, and was conducted recently (2024-2025). However, the study was limited to one hospital in Saudi Arabia, so the findings may not apply to all diabetes patients worldwide or in different cultural settings. The exact number of participants wasn’t provided, which makes it harder to assess how representative the findings are. As a qualitative study, it provides rich descriptions of challenges but doesn’t measure how common each barrier is across the population.

What the Results Show

The research identified five major challenge areas that patients face. First, patients struggle to balance taking care of their diabetes with their work responsibilities and social obligations—they find it hard to exercise regularly or follow meal plans when they’re busy or stressed. Second, food choices are heavily influenced by cultural traditions and social gatherings, making it difficult to stick to recommended diets, especially during celebrations and family events.

Third, patients face real barriers to getting healthcare, including difficulty accessing medical services, problems getting their medications consistently, and challenges understanding how to use their medications correctly. Fourth, diabetes takes an emotional toll—patients experience stress, worry, and sadness about their condition, which can make managing it even harder. Finally, patients feel they don’t receive enough education about how to manage their diabetes on their own, leaving them uncertain about what they should be doing.

The study also revealed important secondary findings: patients’ confidence in their ability to manage their disease (called ‘self-efficacy’) significantly influences their success. Additionally, religious practices and community gatherings shape when and what people eat, making these social and spiritual aspects crucial to consider in treatment plans. The research emphasized that family support and understanding from healthcare providers about cultural practices are important for better outcomes.

These findings align with previous research showing that Type 2 diabetes management involves much more than just medical treatment. Earlier studies have also identified lifestyle changes, cultural factors, and emotional health as important barriers. However, this research adds valuable insights specific to the Saudi Arabian context, showing how particular cultural practices and healthcare systems in that region create unique challenges that may differ from other countries.

This study has several important limitations to consider. It was conducted at only one hospital in one region of Saudi Arabia, so the results may not apply to all diabetes patients in Saudi Arabia or other countries. The study didn’t specify how many people were interviewed, making it unclear how representative the findings are. Because it relied on what patients told researchers, there’s a possibility of bias in how people described their experiences. Additionally, the study doesn’t measure how common each barrier is—it just identifies what barriers exist. Finally, the research was conducted in a specific cultural context, so some findings may not apply to diabetes patients in different cultures or healthcare systems.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, healthcare providers should: (1) Create personalized diabetes management plans that consider each patient’s work schedule, cultural background, and family situation—not one-size-fits-all approaches; (2) Provide better education about diabetes self-management in ways that are easy to understand; (3) Offer emotional and psychological support, recognizing that diabetes affects mental health; (4) Make healthcare more accessible and easier to navigate; (5) Involve family members and respect cultural food traditions when planning diets. These recommendations have moderate to strong support from the research findings.

This research is most relevant for people with Type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia and similar cultural contexts, as well as healthcare providers, hospital administrators, and policymakers in those regions. However, the general principles—that diabetes management requires understanding patients’ cultural backgrounds, work stress, and emotional needs—apply to diabetes patients everywhere. People without diabetes may also benefit from understanding these challenges if they have family members with the condition.

Improvements in diabetes management typically take time. If healthcare providers implement these recommendations, patients might see better blood sugar control within 3-6 months. However, significant improvements in lifestyle habits, emotional well-being, and long-term health outcomes usually take 6-12 months or longer, especially when addressing deeply rooted cultural and work-related barriers.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your daily diabetes management challenges using a simple log: note your blood sugar readings, what you ate, your stress level (1-10), and any barriers you faced that day (work stress, social events, medication access, emotional mood). This helps identify patterns in what makes management harder or easier for you.
  • Use the app to set realistic, personalized goals that fit your life—not generic diabetes advice. For example, instead of ’exercise 30 minutes daily,’ set a goal like ’take a 15-minute walk after lunch on workdays’ or ‘do 10 minutes of stretching during work breaks.’ Include cultural food preferences in meal planning rather than trying to completely change your diet.
  • Create a long-term tracking system that monitors not just blood sugar numbers, but also your emotional well-being, stress levels, medication adherence, and how well you’re managing barriers specific to your situation. Review this monthly with your healthcare provider to adjust your plan based on what’s actually working in your real life, not just what should work in theory.

This research describes challenges that diabetes patients face but does not provide medical advice. If you have Type 2 diabetes, work with your healthcare provider to develop a personalized management plan. The findings are based on experiences in Saudi Arabia and may not apply to all patients or regions. Always consult your doctor before making changes to your diabetes treatment, medications, or lifestyle. This study identifies barriers to care but should not replace professional medical guidance.