Diabetes Self Care and Diabetic Distress in Patients with Type 2 diabetes

Abstract

The present study investigated the relationship of the diabetes self-care and diabetic distress in patients with type 2 diabetes. It was hypothesized that there willbe a negative relationship between diabetes self-care, demographics and diabetes distress. Further, there willbe gender difference inself-care and diabetes distress. A sample of 100was collected using purposive sampling, including38 men with the mean age of 58.03 (SD= 7.99) and 62 women with the mean age of 55.38(SD= 7.05). Summary of Diabetes SelfCare Activities and Diabetes Distress Scale were used. Results showed a significant negative relationship of diabetes care with general diet andregimen related distress, interpersonal distress and total distress. Diabetes care with specific diet also hadsignificant negative relationship with treatmentrelated distress. Gender differences revealed that men with diabetes engage more in exercise for diabetes care. Women reported high emotional burden and distressassociated with treatment. It isconcluded that patients of diabetes type 2 who engage in diabetes care by diet intake experience less diabetic distress, interpersonal distress and emotional burden. Findings have implication in devisingcounseling program to teach diabetes’care, and ways to managedistress, thereby to improve treatment adherence and healthpromotingbehaviors.