Association between diabetes-related self-care activities and positive health: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

ObjectivesThe study aimed to examine the diabetes-related self-care activities (DRSCA) in association with positive health consisting of resilience, subjective well-being (SWB) and disease-related quality of life (DRQoL), and the associations of background information with resilience, SWB and DRQoL.DesignA cross-sectional study.MethodsA convenience sample of people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) was recruited from two tertiary hospitals in eastern China. Self-reported survey data included DRSCA, resilience, SWB, DRQoL, and background information comprising demographics and social support. Data were analysed using hierarchical multiple regression analyses.ResultsTwo hundred and forty-six valid questionnaires were analysed. Among the components of positive health, hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that DRSCA were significantly associated with improved SWB (β=0.140, p=0.020), but not with resilience and DRQoL after adjusting for background information. Participants with higher level of education had higher resilience and men had higher SWB than women. Social support (β=0.186, p=0.003) in Model 1 and resilience (β=0.298, p<0.001) in Model 2 were positively associated with SWB.ConclusionsThis study indicated an association between DRSCA and one component of positive health, namely SWB. This finding could help motivate patients to perform DRSCA and to improve SWB in people with T2DM. In addition, the fact that demographics, for example, gender, were associated with SWB and education was associated with resilience also needs to be accommodated when aiming to improve SWB and build resilience.Trial registration numberNCT02594748

Focus on the Positive: A Qualitative Study of Positive Experiences Living With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes

“…Research in nondiabetes populations has shown that optimism is associated with better mental and physical well-being ( 44 , 45 ). A cross-sectional study by Zhao et al ( 46 ) found that diabetes self-care behaviors, specifically following a healthy diet, getting physical activity, taking medication, self‐monitoring blood glucose, and performing foot care, were associated with optimism. Although more research is needed to determine the cause-effect relationship between diabetes self-care and optimism, these initial findings may motivate people with diabetes to improve their diabetes self-care behaviors to improve their subjective well-being ( 46 ).…”

Diabetes Self-care Activities and Their Relation with Glycemic Control in Patients Presenting to The Indus Hospital, Karachi

“…The major component of diabetes management is to prevent complications that involve various aspects of understanding disease pathogenesis and progression. Apart from the medication, patient-led diabetes-related selfcare activities (DRSCA) play a key role in diabetes management [9].…”

“…Studies have shown that diabetes-related self-care activities improve glycemic control [4,[9][10]. Moreover, just a lifestyle modification in poorly controlled diabetic patients can lead to a reduction in HbA1c up to 1% [11].…”

Investigating the Factors Affecting the Self-care Behaviors Status of Patients With Type II Diabetes and the Role of Demographic Variables: a Case Study in Iran

“…Diabetes is a lifelong disease, and its self-management is challenging, time-consuming, and life-long, posing a challenge throughout life [17][18][19]. More than 425 million people continued living with diabetes in 2017, and people with diabetes are predicted to extend to 693 million by 2045 [20,21].…”