ArticleFrontiers in endocrinology2026
Experiences and perceived determinants of healthcare-related time toxicity among women with gestational diabetes mellitus: a qualitative study.
Article in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) requires women to attend follow-up visits and complete repeated self-management tasks during pregnancy. These tasks include blood glucose monitoring, meal planning, physical activity, health education and medication when needed. They may create a time-related burden in daily life. However, little is known about women's experiences of healthcare-related time toxicity during GDM management. This study aimed to explore women's experiences of healthcare-related time toxicity and the perceived factors shaping these experiences. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in the obstetric outpatient clinics of a tertiary teaching hospital in Henan Province, central China. Women with GDM were recruited using purposive sampling. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Four themes and 13 subthemes were generated from the interview data: (1) GDM added a new timetable to pregnancy; (2) hospital follow-up made time costs visible; (3) work and family roles compressed time for GDM management; and (4) women needed support that reduced time and decision burden. Conclusion: Healthcare-related time toxicity in GDM was experienced as both visible hospital time and hidden daily self-management work. Women's time burden was not produced by GDM tasks alone. The organisation of services, family caregiving, work schedule, and outpatient processes also play a role. There is a need for the nurse, midwife, and/or diabetes educator to be specific and user-friendly in their support, such as providing clear examples of diet, review of blood glucose levels online in a timely fashion, and improved coordination of prenatal, nutrition and blood glucose-related appointments. These changes may decrease unnecessary traveling, waiting, and redundant decision-making, and assist women to incorporate the management of GDM into their daily lives more successfully.
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