Practices, perceptions and expectations for carbohydrate counting in patients with type 1 diabetes - Results from an online survey

- A majority of participants are confident in applying carbohydrate counting.
- Many difficulties and constraints associated with carbohydrate counting were found.
- Education and depression were associated with a lower level of confidence.
- A low proportion of participants use technologies for carbohydrate counting.

AimsCharacterize adult patients with diabetes on intensive insulin therapy in terms of: (a) practices and perceived difficulties relative to carbohydrate counting (CC) and diabetes treatment, and (b) their perceptions and expectations relative to CC.MethodsParticipants completed a 30-question web-based questionnaire.ResultsParticipants with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and using CC as part of their treatment plan (n = 180) were included in this analysis. Participants were predominantly women (64%), aged 42 ± 13 years old and had diabetes for 22 ± 13 years. A large proportion of participants reported being confident in applying CC (78%) and considered precise CC as being important for glycemic control (91%), while only 17% reported finding CC difficult. Despite the low perceived difficulty associated with CC, many specific difficulties were encountered by patients such as the perception that glycemia fluctuates even with appropriate CC and that CC complicates the management of diabetes. A larger proportion of participants with a lower level of education (