Objective: This study aimed to qualitatively explore perspectives, practices, and barriers to self-care practices (eating habits, physical activity, self-monitoring of blood glucose, and medicine intake behavior) in urban Pakistani adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Pakistani adults with T2DM were recruited from the outpatient departments of two hospitals in Lahore. Semistructured interviews were conducted and audiorecorded until thematic saturation was reached. Two researchers thematically analyzed the data independently using NVivo® software with differences resolved by a third researcher. Results: Thirty-two Pakistani adults (aged 35-75 years, 62% female) participated in the study. Six themes were identified from qualitative analysis: role of family and friends, role of doctors and healthcare, patients' understanding about diabetes, complication of diabetes and other comorbidities, burden of self care, and life circumstances. A variable experience was observed with education and healthcare. Counseling by healthcare providers, family support, and fear of diabetes-associated complications are the key enablers that encourage study participants to adhere to diabetes-related self-care practices. Major barriers to self care are financial constraints, physical limitations, extreme weather conditions, social gatherings, loving food, forgetfulness, needle phobia, and a hectic job. Conclusion: Respondents identified many barriers to diabetes self care, particularly related to life situations and diabetes knowledge. Family support and education by healthcare providers were key influencers to self-care practices among Pakistani people with diabetes.
Diabetes mellitus is a public health concern in Malaysia. Treatment of diabetes is costly and can lead to complications if disease is poorly controlled. Diabetes self-management (DSM) is found to be essential for optimal glycemic control. This cross-sectional study was conducted among samples from four randomly selected diabetes clinics in Sarawak, Malaysia. The aim was to determine the predictors for DSM. Face-to-face interview using questionnaire was used to collect data. Four hundred respondents with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were recruited. Majority of the respondents were Sarawak Bumiputra (Iban and Bidayuh, 48.6%) and female (68.6%). The mean age was 58.77 years (SD = 11.46) and approximately half of the respondents (50.6%) had T2DM for six years (SD = 4.46). The mean fasting blood glucose (FBG) was 8.06 mmol/L (SD = 2.94), with majority (76.1%) having the level higher than 6.1 mmol/L. Multiple logistic regression tests showed significant linear relationship between DSM and belief in treatment effectiveness (p = 0.001), family support (p = 0.007), and self-efficacy (p = 0.027). Health care personnel must convince patients with T2DM of the effectiveness of the treatment, empower and enhance their self-efficacy, and enlist the family support so as to ensure patients sustain their DSM efforts.
Study site: diabetes clinics in Kuching and Samarahan Division of Sarawak, Malaysia