Factors associated with self-care in patients with type II diabetes referring to the health houses under the observation of Abyek's health center

Background and Diabetes is the most common metabolic disease in the world. Previous studies have reported that the strict control of blood sugar prevents or delays the development of diabetes-related complications. The most important factor to control the disease is self-care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of variables like duration of diabetes, central obesity and diabetes knowledge on the self-care behaviors The present study is cross-sectional. 500 out of 752 diabetic patients were selected using stratified random sampling. Measures of data collection were questionnaires containing demographic information, self-care and diabetes knowledge. Frequency tables, χ2 tests, independent T test and ANOVA were used to examine the relationship between demographic characteristics and self-care. Also, the multiple-linear-regression was used to predict the affecting factors on the self-care. 464 patients participated in the study of 500 patients selected (respose rate 92/8%). The mean score of self-care behavior in patients with diabetes was 3.77±1.15. There was a significant association between the self -care and parameters like duration (p= 0.013), type of treatment (p= 0.035) and central obesity (p= 0.046). Diabetes knowledge(B= -0.123) after Duration of diabetes(B= 0.170) was the strongest predictor of the self-care behavior. In addition to affecting demographic factors, the role of factors such as Diabetes knowledge in promoting self-care behaviors in patients with type II diabetes cannot be ignored. Based on these results, it is necessary to emphasize on the importance of promoting Diabetes knowledge by health workers and doctors.