Diabetes self-care and its associated factors among elderly diabetes in primary care

• Published in: Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences Vol. 12; no. 6; pp. 504 - 511
• Main Authors: Ishak, Nor H, Mohd Yusoff, Siti S, Rahman, Razlina A, Kadir, Azidah A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Saudi Arabia Taibah University 01.12.2017; Elsevier
• Subjects: Original; Type 2 diabetes; Diabetes self-care; Elderly; Social support
• ISSN: 1658-3612; 1658-3612
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2017.03.008

Diabetes is a primarily self-manageable condition. Healthcare professionals usually offer education, treatment, and support, but patients themselves are responsible for the daily management of their condition. Increasing the effectiveness of self-management support may have a considerable impact on health care, especially for elderly people. The aim of this study was to describe diabetes self-care among elderly diabetics and to determine its associated factors. This report describes a cross-sectional study involving 143 elderly diabetes patients in the outpatient department of the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). Self-care activities assessed in this study included dietary control, physical activity, self-monitoring of blood glucose, medication adherence, and situational related adherence behaviour, all of which were obtained using the validated Malay Elderly Diabetes Self-Care Questionnaire (MEDSCaQ). The mean (±SD) age of the subjects was 67.9 (±5.4) years old. A majority was Malay, with a mean HbA1c of 8.4 (±1.9). The mean diabetes self-care score was 26.5 (±8.0). Factors with a positive impact on diabetes self-care included being non-Malay (β = 5.275, p = 0.002), having family as care givers (β = 8.995, p = 0.004), having a higher level of family support (β = 0.159, p = 0.042), and possessing acceptable (β = 4.375, p = 0.001) or good knowledge of diabetes (β = 5.893, p = 0.004). The presence of neuropathy negatively impacted self-care, while diabetes nephropathy had a positive impact on self care (β = -4.053, p = 0.003). Elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes in HUSM have a moderate score of diabetes self-care practice based on the MEDSCaQ. Determinants for good diabetes self-care include race, social support, having care-takers during periods of illness, diabetes knowledge, and diabetic microvascular complications.