Some diabetics would risk health to avoid shots

Some people with Type 2 diabetes avoid insulin shots at the expense of their health, the results of a new survey suggests.

Among nearly 1,000 Canadians with Type 2 diabetes researchers surveyed, many said that avoiding insulin shots was just as important to them as improving their blood sugar control. It was diabetics who were not yet on insulin, in particular, who felt this way - a concerning finding, the researchers say, since these individuals may consequently put off needed insulin therapy.

The findings are published in the September issue of the journal Diabetes Care

For the study, Dr. A. Brett Hauber, of the Research Triangle Institute in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and his colleagues surveyed 936 adults with Type 2 diabetes, the majority of whom were not on insulin.

Type 2 diabetes arises when the body can no longer properly use insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Though the disease can be managed with diet, exercise and oral medications, some people need insulin injections to keep their blood sugar in check, which lowers the risk of complications like Heart Attack, Stroke and kidney disease.

Yet the survey found that on average, respondents not on insulin said it would be just as important to them to limit insulin injections to one per day as it would be to boost their blood sugar control from "suboptimal" to "optimal."

This is "disconcerting," the researchers write, in light of the importance of optimal blood sugar control to a diabetic's health.

Type 2 diabetes Definition
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic, life-long disease that results when the body's insulin does not work effectively. Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas in response to increased levels of blood sugar (glucose) in the blood.
On the other hand, those survey respondents already on insulin placed much more value on getting their disease under control than on trimming back their daily shots.
Genetics play a large role in type 2 diabetes and family history is a risk factor. However, low activity level, poor diet, and excess body weight (especially around the waist) significantly increase your risk for type 2 diabetes.
The findings, according to Hauber's team, suggest that better education may be necessary to encourage type 2 diabetics to start insulin therapy when it's warranted.

SOURCE: Diabetes Care, September 2005.