Self-care practices and influencing factors among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: A hospital-based cross-sectional study

• Published in: Clinical epidemiology and global health 2024-11, Vol.30, p.101822, Article 101822
• Main Authors: Jyoti Jyotsana, Nirmal, Pandit, Niraj, Sharma, Salil, Kumar, Laxman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Diet; Foot care; Glucose monitoring; Medication adherence; Regular exercise
• ISSN: 2213-3984; 2213-3984
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cegh.2024.101822

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a widespread non-communicable disease in India that significantly affects the healthcare system owing to its acute and chronic complications. The traditional approach to diabetes care has focused on medical professionals, but recent research has indicated that self-care among patients is crucial. Effective self-care practices can enhance the quality of life of T2DM patients. This study aimed to evaluate self-care practices among T2DM patients at a sub-district hospital in Gujarat State, India. This cross-sectional study included 93 T2DM patients. Self-care activities were assessed using the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) scale. Descriptive statistics and comparative analyses were performed. The majority of the participants were male (55.9 %) and over 60 years of age (67.7 %). Participants demonstrated high adherence to medication regimens (mean score = 6.66 ± 0.86). However, adherence to other self-care practices was significantly lower; only 11.8 % reported good dietary behavior, 55.91 % engaged in regular exercise, and 50.5 % performed regular foot care. While 83.8 % reported good monitoring behavior, this contradicts the low adherence to blood glucose testing (mean score = 0.38 ± 0.59). Participants aged