the-experience-and-the-meaning-of-hypoglycemia

This study examines the experience and the meaning of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) to Cambodian diabetes patients in cooperation with a local NGO—MoPoTsyo— which provided accessible and affordable care to the patients. The data was obtained in Phnom Penh city from July to November, 2013 through a qualitative approach with repeated interviews, a focus group discussion, observations and textual analysis. This study highlighted that when exploring participants’ experiences of hypoglycemia, the continuous interpretation of glucose levels was the essential theme to understand. Participants tried to interpret their glucose levels through discomforts they experienced and the terminologies used in Khmer when discussing diabetes and hypoglycemia. In addition they used the results from biomedical measurements even though daily glucose measurements were not available for most diabetes patients in this setting.