Researchers in Palestine surveyed 220 people using insulin to understand how satisfied they were with their treatment. They found that people who stuck to their diets reported feeling much happier with their insulin therapy overall. The study also discovered that the type of insulin device people used, whether they had type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and their gender all affected how satisfied they felt. The findings suggest that doctors should offer more flexible meal plans, better insulin delivery options, and more support to help patients feel better about managing their diabetes.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How satisfied people with diabetes feel about using insulin, and what factors make them feel more or less satisfied with their treatment
  • Who participated: 220 adults with diabetes who use insulin, recruited from primary healthcare clinics across the West Bank, Palestine
  • Key finding: People who followed their diet recommendations reported being about 11% more satisfied with their overall insulin treatment compared to those who didn’t stick to their diets
  • What it means for you: If you use insulin, paying attention to what you eat may help you feel better about your treatment overall. However, this study shows a connection but doesn’t prove that diet changes alone will improve satisfaction—talk to your doctor about what might work best for you.

The Research Details

This was a cross-sectional study, which means researchers took a snapshot in time by surveying 220 insulin-using patients at healthcare clinics in Palestine. Everyone completed a questionnaire called the Insulin Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (ITSQ) that asked about four main areas: how inconvenient their insulin routine was, how much flexibility they had in their lifestyle, how well their blood sugar was controlled, and how happy they were with their insulin delivery device (like pens or pumps). The researchers then used statistical analysis to figure out which factors—like age, gender, diabetes type, and diet habits—were most connected to satisfaction levels.

Understanding what makes patients satisfied or dissatisfied with insulin treatment is important because unhappy patients are less likely to stick with their treatment, which can lead to worse health outcomes. By identifying the specific factors that influence satisfaction, doctors can make targeted improvements to help patients feel better about managing their condition.

This study provides a real-world snapshot of patient experiences in a specific region. The sample size of 220 is reasonable for this type of research. However, because it only looked at one point in time and only included people from Palestine, the results may not apply exactly the same way to other countries or populations. The study shows associations between factors and satisfaction but cannot prove that one thing directly causes another.

What the Results Show

The study found that insulin-treated patients had mixed feelings about their treatment. On a scale where higher scores mean more satisfaction, patients scored about 68.8% for how inconvenient their insulin routine felt, 68.3% for how much lifestyle flexibility they had, 58.0% for how well their blood sugar was controlled, and 62.2% for satisfaction with their insulin delivery device. Overall, patients scored 72.3% on the complete satisfaction questionnaire, suggesting room for improvement.

The most important finding was that patients who followed their recommended diet were significantly more satisfied with their overall insulin treatment—about 11% more satisfied than those who didn’t follow their diet. This was the strongest predictor of satisfaction in the study.

Women reported lower satisfaction with their insulin delivery devices compared to men. People with type 2 diabetes were also less satisfied with their delivery devices than those with type 1 diabetes. These differences suggest that different groups of patients may need different types of support or device options.

The study revealed that satisfaction with insulin delivery devices (like pens or pumps) was particularly important to overall treatment satisfaction. About 62% of patients were satisfied with their devices, which was lower than satisfaction with other aspects of treatment. This suggests that improving device design or offering more device options could help boost overall satisfaction. The study also found that glycemic control (keeping blood sugar in a healthy range) scored lowest at 58%, indicating this is an area where many patients struggle.

Previous research has shown that patient satisfaction with insulin treatment varies widely around the world. This study adds important information from the Palestinian population, which hasn’t been studied as much as other regions. The finding that diet adherence strongly predicts satisfaction aligns with other research showing that lifestyle factors play a big role in how patients feel about their diabetes management. However, the lower satisfaction scores with delivery devices in this study suggest that device access or preferences may differ in this region compared to other countries.

This study has several important limitations to keep in mind. First, it only included people from healthcare clinics in the West Bank, so the results may not apply to people in other countries or regions with different healthcare systems. Second, because it was a snapshot in time, we can’t know if satisfaction changes over time or what causes these changes. Third, the study shows connections between factors and satisfaction but cannot prove that one thing directly causes another—for example, we can’t say that improving diet will definitely improve satisfaction, only that they’re connected. Finally, the study didn’t include information about some factors that might affect satisfaction, like income level or access to different types of insulin devices.

The Bottom Line

If you use insulin, consider working with your doctor or a dietitian to improve your diet adherence, as this appears to be strongly connected to feeling more satisfied with your treatment (moderate confidence). Ask your doctor about different insulin delivery device options to find one that works best for your lifestyle (moderate confidence). If you’re a woman or have type 2 diabetes, discuss with your healthcare team whether you might benefit from extra support or different device options (moderate confidence). These recommendations should be personalized based on your individual situation and discussed with your healthcare provider.

This research is most relevant to people with diabetes who use insulin, particularly those who feel frustrated or dissatisfied with their treatment. Healthcare providers who work with insulin-treated patients should also pay attention to these findings. The study is especially relevant to people in regions similar to Palestine with comparable healthcare systems. People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes may find different aspects of these recommendations most helpful.

If you make changes based on these findings, you might notice improvements in how you feel about your treatment within a few weeks to a few months. However, improvements in blood sugar control may take longer—typically 2-3 months—to show up in blood tests. Be patient with yourself and work closely with your healthcare team to track progress.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your daily diet adherence (percentage of meals that followed your meal plan) and your overall satisfaction with insulin treatment on a weekly basis using a simple 1-10 satisfaction scale. This will help you see if improving diet habits correlates with feeling better about your treatment.
  • Use the app to set a specific, achievable diet goal for the week (such as ‘follow my meal plan for 5 out of 7 days’) and log your progress daily. Also log which insulin delivery method you used each day and rate your satisfaction with it, helping you identify patterns about what works best for you.
  • Create a monthly review where you compare your diet adherence percentage with your satisfaction scores to see if there’s a personal connection. Track any changes you make to your insulin device or routine and note how they affect your overall satisfaction. Share these trends with your healthcare provider during check-ups to guide treatment adjustments.

This research describes patient experiences with insulin treatment in a specific population and should not be used to make changes to your diabetes care without consulting your healthcare provider. The study shows associations between factors and satisfaction but does not prove cause-and-effect relationships. If you use insulin, always work with your doctor or diabetes care team before making any changes to your treatment plan, diet, or medication. This information is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice.