Making the Transition to Insulin Therapy: The Experiences of Samoan People with Type 2 Diabetes in New Zealand

Background Pacific people are dying younger compared to other New Zealanders because of complications resulting from uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus. Good diabetes control is achievable with early use of insulin because of its effectiveness, and proven long term benefits to quality of life. An understanding of how Samoan people with type 2 diabetes make their transition to insulin therapy will assist in understanding how insulin is perceived, which will inform health care professionals in their work with those diagnosed with diabetes. Aim of Research The aim of the research is to explore and describe how Samoan people with type 2 diabetes in New Zealand made the transition to insulin therapy for better glycaemic control. Design The Fonofale Model was used as the theoretical framework, from which to understand Samoan peoples' experiences. This research used a qualitative descriptive methodology. In-depth interviews were used to gather the stories of four Samoan participants over the age of 18 years diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Three major themes emerged from the analysis of the participants' stories. These were: living with diabetes, making the transition to insulin therapy and realisation. The findings led to the creation of the Ia Malu model, which describes the experiences of the participants in this study. Conclusion This study confirmed that there are immense challenges and struggles encountered by people with diabetes. Their adjustment to the illness as well as making the transition to using insulin takes time. As a result of this, it is fundamental for nurses/health care professionals to understand that this is the reality for these people, and they must therefore provide time for people to adjust.