The Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) was first developed in the early 1980s.  It is now widely used, particularly in clinical trials, but also for routine clinical monitoring.  It is available in more than 100 languages.  The original DTSQ is now referred to as the status version (DTSQs) in order to distinguish it from the DTSQ change version (DTSQc) which has been developed to overcome potential ceiling effects (i.e. where respondents score maximum or near-maximum satisfaction at baseline and can show little or no improvement at follow-up).

DTSQs and DTSQc:  Choosing which version to use and when

People often use just the DTSQs.  The DTSQc is relevant for studies involving an intervention (such as a change in insulin, tablets or education/training).  Whether or not you used the DTSQc, you should always use the DTSQs at least once during your study, preferable at the beginning.  This will anchor your findings on the DTSQc, if you do go on to use the change version as well as the status version.  The DTSQc will tell you how people’s satisfaction and perceived hyper- and hypoglycaemia has changed; it doesn’t tell you whether it was high or low to start with, or where it is at endpoint.

We recommend that you use the DTSQs at baseline and endpoint (and at one or two interim points in a 12-month trial) and the DTSQc (if used) at one follow-up only.

The DTSQ has also been developed for use by Parents and Teenagers.

Full Guidelines, including scoring instructions, are available to Licensees on request.  Please contact info@healthpsychologyresearch.com quoting your HPR or CB reference number.