# Patient and clinician preferences for diabetes management among older adults with co-morbid HIV: A qualitative exploration

## TL;DR

This study explores how older adults with HIV and diabetes prefer managing their care, and what clinicians think about treating both conditions together.

## Contribution

The study identifies patient and clinician preferences for integrated HIV and diabetes care in older adults.

## Key findings

- Patients prefer either a single clinician for both HIV and diabetes or separate specialists for each condition.
- Clinicians are comfortable screening for diabetes but often refer complex cases to specialists.
- Both patients and clinicians expressed a need for better education and streamlined referral systems.

## Abstract

Older adults with HIV are at increased risk of developing certain chronic health conditions including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). As the number and complexity of conditions increases, so do treatment and health care needs. We explored patient and clinician preferences for HIV+T2DM care and perceived solutions to improving care.

We conducted an exploratory qualitative study comprised of individual in-depth interviews. Participants included English-speaking patients aged 50 and older living with HIV and T2DM and infectious disease (ID) and primary care (PC) clinicians from a large academic health center in Chicago. Thematic analysis drew from the Framework Method.

A total of 19 patient and 10 clinician participants were interviewed. Many patients reported seeking HIV and T2DM care from the same clinician; they valued rapport and a ‘one-stop-shop’. Others reported having separate clinicians; they valued perceived expertise and specialty care. Nearly all clinicians reported comfort screening for T2DM and initiating first line oral therapy; ID clinicians reported placing referrals for newer, complex therapies. Patients would like educational support for T2DM management; clinicians would like to learn more about newer therapies and easier referral processes.

Patient-centered care includes managing T2DM from a variety of clinical settings for individuals with HIV, yet strategies are needed to better support clinicians. Future research should examine how best to implement these strategies.