National DAWN Project in France

French healthcare professionals encouraged to focus on the wellbeing of patients

In 2005, the French DAWN board of experts (patient associations, DELF – French arm of the DESG, medical societies) decided to present the WHO 5 questionnaire to chronic patients including people with diabetes. The objective was to try and measure the wellbeing of people with diabetes compared to patients with other chronic diseases or combining several chronic diseases. More than 2,000 questionnaires were returned and analysed.

Three negative factors seem to influence the wellbeing in patients suffering from chronic diseases: 1) female gender, 2) chronic diseases other than diabetes (and moreover the combination of diabetes with other chronic diseases) and 3) insulin treatment of people with diabetes.

Based on these results, healthcare professionals have been encouraged to consider the wellbeing of patients with chronic diseases more systematically, and target patients who could be depressed at the time of consultation more accurately. The board of experts is currently considering how to help healthcare professionals in dealing with the issue.