Diabetes self-management and self-efficacy in patients in diabetes education and follow up program

Abstract

Background: It is important to identify patients who are at risk of poor self-management and non-compliance so to ensure additional education and psychological support in post education and follow up programs. Self-efficacy is a critical construct related to diabetes education and self-management. The objective was to investigate relations between diabetes self-management, self-efficacy, optimism toward illness and patient evaluation of diabetes education, regarding some sociodemographic, illness and health characteristics. Methods: We collected data from 50 diabetes patients, age 19 -73, 6 months after diabetes self-management education. The instrument includes a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, diabetes self- management behaviours scale, single questions about optimism toward illness and adequacy of education, and Diabetes Self-Efficacy Questionnaire – DSEQ (Roblin & Little & McGuire, 2004). Findings: 64% of patients have indication of poor illness control (Hba1c >7). They think education was less adequate and score lower on some DSEQ subscales than those with lower Hba1c. Female subjects report better diabetes self-management. Lower self-management and self-efficacy was found in smokers, obese patients and those with other chronic disease and lower economic status. Unemployed patients score lower on DSEQ. Obese patients and smokers are less optimistic toward illness. Younger patients have better self-management and higher scores on some DSEQ subscales. We found significant correlations between self-management, self-efficacy, optimism and education evaluation. Discussion: This research confirmed the correlation between diabetes self-management and self-efficacy. Male gender, older age, obesity, comorbidity, smoking, lower economic status, unemployment and higher Hba1c can be risk factors for diabetes self-management or self-efficacy, or both.