Self-Care Practice and Associated Factors Among Individuals with Diabetes Mellitus in Northeast Ethiopia

Abstract

Purpose

Self-care practices in diabetes patients are crucial to keep the illness under managed and prevent complications. Despite this, relatively little information is available regarding the level of self-care practice and associated factors among individuals with diabetes mellitus in the study area. Therefore, this study aimed to assess self-care practice and its associated factors among individuals with diabetes mellitus in Deber Berhan referral hospital, Northeast Ethiopia.

Patients and Methods

A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 405 diabetes mellitus patients from May 1 to June 30, 2020. The data were collected using a pre-tested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. The data were entered into Epi-data manager version 4.4.1.0 and finally exported into SPSS-24 software for analysis. To identify the predictor of self-care practice, binary logistic regression analysis was done. The result of the analysis was presented in a crude and adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals. All tests were two-sided, and P ˂ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

About 181 (44.7%) of participants had good self-care practice. On a multivariate logistic regression analysis, educational status of the participants (with no formal education (AOR=0.12, 95% CI: 0.03–0.42), can read and write (AOR=0.23, 95% CI: 0.07–0.75), and secondary school (AOR=0.28, 95% CI: 0.09–0.88)), type 1 DM (AOR=0.27, 95% CI: 0.09–0.79), family history of DM (AOR=3.71, 95% CI: 1.37–10.07), and treatment satisfaction (AOR=4.41, 95% CI: 1.52–8.59) were significantly associated with self-care practice.

Conclusion

More than half of the respondents had poor self-care practices. Educational status, types of DM, family history of DM, and treatment satisfaction were the predictors of self-care practices among individuals with DM.

Keywords:

• self-care practices
• diabetes mellitus
• associated factors
• Ethiopia

Abbreviations

DBRH, Debre Berhan Referral Hospital; DM, diabetes mellitus; DTSQ, diabetes treatment satisfaction questionnaire; FBS, fasting blood sugar; SMBG, self-monitoring of blood glucose; OHA, oral hypoglycemic agents; SDSCA, Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities.

Data Sharing Statement

The datasets used and/or analyzed during this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ethics Approval and Informed Consent

The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standard of the Helsinki Declaration. The ethical clearance for the study was obtained from the Ethical Review Board (IRB) Debre Berhan University. Then, a permission letter to conduct the study was obtained from the Debre Berhan referral hospital. Before the actual data collection procedures, written informed consent was obtained. For the participants under the age of 18, informed consent was taken from their parent and also assent was taken from the participant. Participation was voluntary and participants had the right to refuse or withdraw at any time in the data collection periods. All the exit interviews were made under strict privacy.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Debre Berhan University for logistic support for this study. We are also very grateful to Debre Berhan referral hospital DM clinic staff for their teamwork in the study. Finally, our deepest gratitude goes to the study participants for providing the required information for this study.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no financial support for this study and the study was funded by the authors.