Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32722666›Full record

ArticlePloS one2020

Cultural adaptation of self-management of type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia (qualitative study).

Thamer Al Slamah, Barbara I Nicholl, Fatima Y Alslail, Leanne Harris, Craig A Melville, Deborah Kinnear

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Real-World Effectiveness of My Dose Coach™-Assisted Basal Insulin Titration in People with Type 2 Diabetes in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.Diabetes therapy : research, treatment and education of diabetes and related disorders · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
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  11. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Thamer Al SlamahHuman Health Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0001-8776-9514
Barbara I NichollGeneral Practice and Primary Care, Institute of Health and Wellbeing College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Fatima Y AlslailDirector of the National Diabetes Control and Prevention Program, Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0001-7334-2018
Leanne HarrisSchool of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Craig A MelvilleMental Health and Wellbeing, Institute of Health and Wellbeing College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Deborah KinnearMental Health and Wellbeing, Institute of Health and Wellbeing College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
University of Glasgow · GBQassim University · SASaudi Center for Disease Prevention and Control · SA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSaudi Arabia is continuously working on developing its health care system, however with the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes and comorbidities, such as cardiovascular diseases, self-management education programmes are essential. As part of a planned series of studies to develop a culturally sensitive type 2 diabetes self-management programme, this study explores the need versus barriers and facilitators relevant to implementing a national programme for type 2 diabetes self-management education within the community and health care system in Saudi Arabia.

methodsA qualitative methodology was used to explore the views of a multidisciplinary group of diabetes health professionals and adult patients with type 2 diabetes. The views of nine health professionals working at a specialised diabetes care centre were gathered at two focus groups (four and five) that included doctors, nutritionists, health educators and nurses. Individual interviews with 12 patients with type 2 diabetes (six females and six males) attending the centre were also carried out. Recurring themes through the translated transcripts were studied and treated by the research group under pre-set protocols.

resultsFocus groups with health professionals revealed three main themes. 1. Resources: availability of resources and how they impacted on performance and patients' care; 2.Familiarity with self-management education programmes: educating patients and raising awareness among them; and 3. Lifestyle: patients' lifestyle and how it could affect their compliance with self-management programmes. Interviews with patients also revealed three main themes. 1. Habits: post diagnosis changes in patients' attitudes and behaviours towards diet and physical activity; 2. Health education: awareness of managing type 2 diabetes through health centre advice or self-education; and 3. Culture and society: a lack of cultural or social support created by some social practices or conventions.

conclusionThe findings from this study highlight a gap in type 2 diabetes care system that can be breached through the development of a Saudi specific self-management programme for type 2 diabetes. The identified barriers and facilitators can be used for adapting a self-management programme to the Saudi context. However, initial training is needed for local health professionals to understand the mechanisms of self-management programmes. Such programmes will need to infiltrate to the society, and the patients' families, in particular to tackle the rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia and provide a friendlier, more supportive environment for the current patients to self-manage their diabetes.

Indexed as

Attitude to HealthHealth PersonnelAdultCulturally Competent CareDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2FemaleFocus GroupsHumansLife StyleMaleMiddle AgedNational Health ProgramsPatient CompliancePatient Education as TopicSaudi ArabiaSelf-Management

Identifiers

PMID32722666
PMCPMC7386581
OpenAlexW3046050326

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.