Self-care Status and Its Relationship with Demographic and Clinical Characteristics in Adolescents and Young People with Type I Diabetes

Self-care is one of the most basic methods of diabetes treatment and care. The aim of this study was to determine self-care status and its relationship with the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients with type I diabetes. This analytical descriptive study was carried out on 135 patients with type I diabetes in health centers of Tabriz in 2017. Sampling was performed using the convenience method and according to inclusion criteria. Data were collected by demographic characteristics questionnaire, as well as Toobert and Glasgow self-care questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS (version 16) software and statistical tests, such as the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation coefficient.


Most of the study samples were female with the mean age of 26.02(7.27)years. Self-care status was moderate in 67.4% of the samples. There was no significant difference in the mean score of self-care among the study samples in terms of gender, marital status, age, educational level, occupational status, family history, other types of diseases, and different levels of body mass index. However, a significant relationship was observed between the mean score of self-care status with the place of residence, duration of diabetes, and different levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (P<0.05).


According to the obtained results of this study, self-care status was moderate in the majority of the subjects with type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between the mean score of self-care status with the place of residence, duration of diabetes, and different levels of glycosylated hemoglobin. Therefore, it is necessary to the develop diabetes centers in nonurban areas and engage efficient personnel and trained nurses in health care centers for the effective training of this group of patients in order to improve their knowledge and train them about diabetes and preventive methods. As a result, improvement in self-care status of patients can lead to controlled levels of glycosylated hemoglobin and result in the reduction of diabetes complications.