Alma J Adler, Celina Trujillo, Leah Schwartz, Laura Drown, Jacquelin Pierre, Christopher Noble, Theophilus Allison, Rebecca Cook, Cyrus Randolph, Gene Bukhman
Despite the severe nature of T1D and growing burden in sub- Saharan Africa, little is currently known about the impact of T1D on patients and caregivers in the region. We conducted a qualitative study consisting of interviews with patients with T1D, caregivers, providers, civil society members and a policy-maker in Liberia to better understand the psychosocial and economic impact of living with T1D, knowledge of T1D and self-management, and barriers and facilitators for accessing T1D care.
T1D was found to have a significant impact on patients and caregivers, and informants identified several key individual and systems-level barriers to effective T1D care in Liberia. Addressing these concerns is vital for designing sustainable and effective programmes for treating patients living with T1D.