Study design and participants
A descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism out-patient clinic in a training hospital (Hue University Hospital) between March 2018 and May 2019 in Hue, Vietnam.
The eligibility criteria for the patient were: (1) being 18 years of age or older; (2) being diagnosed with type 1 and/or 2 diabetes and not pregnant; (2) being prescribed one or more of the disposable insulin pens for a minimum of 8 weeks; (3) self - administering insulin pens, (4) having information about a glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test, and (5) being willing to participate in the research. The criterion of eight weeks insulin pen use was chosen to observe the alteration in HbA1c levels.
The exclusion criteria were: (1) being not physically or mentally able to carry out the interview, (2) already surveyed. Consequently, 148 patients who fulfilled the research criteria and were willing to participate were enrolled in this study.