A Cross-sectional Study of Insulin Pen Storage Knowledge and Related Factors in Vietnamese People with Diabetes

Abstract

Knowledge about insulin pen storage significantly and directly affects treatment efficacy and quality for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Accurate and complete understanding and practice are vital for properly managing this chronic condition. However, studies on insulin pen use and storage have not been well-researched in Vietnam. This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to assess the knowledge of people with type 2 diabetes regarding insulin pen use and storage. Data were collected through convenience sampling from 132 people with diabetes at a provincial hospital in Vietnam from September 2022 to May 2023. We developed the Vietnamese Insulin Pen Storage Knowledge Questionnaire (VIPSKQ) based on guidelines, Addendum 1: Forum for Injection Technique and Therapy Expert Recommendations, India 2021. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and binary logistic regression.

Results indicated that only 35.6% of participants had good knowledge of insulin pen storage, whereas 64.4% did not. Four factors that affected the participants’ understanding of insulin-pen storage were age, education level, duration of diagnosis, and years of treatment for diabetes mellitus. Nurses need to educate people with diabetes to increase their knowledge and skills of insulin pen use and proper storage using various strategies, such as using videos, phone applications, and monitoring their practice regularly. Nurses must also keep abreast of the latest information on insulin treatment modalities and pen storage guidelines. Our questionnaire shows promise for use in practice but needs further testing in different settings with larger groups of individuals with type 2 diabetes.