• Naglaa Ibrahim Mesbah, Nehad Abd-El-Raheem Taha, Zahra Nema Rahme, Faten Fawzi Sukkar, and Dina Mohamed Omar.
• Department of Education and Training, Dasman Diabetes Institute, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
• Med Princ Pract. 2020 Jan 1; 29 (3): 255-261.

ObjectivesWe aimed to determine the quality of life (QoL) of Kuwaiti adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) who used continuous subcutaneous insulin infusions (CSIIs) and to understand their perception of this treatment.BackgroundCSII is an effective and safe alternative to multiple daily injections for T1DM, with the potential to improve both glycemic control and QoL. Although CSII has been widely used in Kuwait, its effectiveness and benefits have not been properly evaluated. Healthcare providers and patients need more information on CSII before its initiation.MethodsIn this qualitative case study, semi-structured individual interviews were performed using a topic guide. Interviews were stopped at data saturation point. Subsequently, a thematic analysis of transcripts was performed.ResultsEighteen adults with T1DM (8 males and 10 females; age 31.4 ± 6.4 years; diabetes duration 17.7 ± 9.5 years; CSII duration 3.6 ± 2.4 years) were recruited from the CSII clinic. Six main themes were studied: health benefits, lifestyle flexibility, improvement of mood and emotion, practical problems, physical and personal effects, and self-confidence to manage diabetes. CSII positively affected the QoL of participants', most notably by enhancing lifestyle flexibility; however, important negative qualities were also reported.ConclusionThe identified themes highlight the complexity of the experiences of participants, and can be used to provide a framework to help healthcare providers understand how people with T1DM become aware of their treatment regimens. It is important to identify the positive aspects of CSII and not focus only on its negative effects.© 2019 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

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