Association between Self-Monitoring Behavior and Self-Management Education among Americans with Diabetes

Abstract

tion between self-management behaviors and DSME. Results: Adjusted logistic regression revealed that all three self-management behaviors were significantly associated with diabetes education. Respondents who reported not engaging in physical activity were significantly less likely to engage in diabetes education compared to those that engaged in physical activity (aOR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.66 -0.81). Respondents who reported never checking their feet for sores compared to those that reported checking their feed one or more times per day were significantly less likely to engage in diabetes education (aOR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.34 -0.47). Respondents who reported checking blood sugar once a week, month or year (aOR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.69 -0.87), and respondents who reported never checking their blood sugar (aOR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.36 -0.54) were significantly less likely to engage in diabetes education compared to those that reported checking their blood sugar one or more times per day. ConClusions: Self-management behaviors are strongly associated with diabetes education. Increasing public health interventions aimed at educating diabetics would provide a means for improving outcomes and decreasing costs.