Presenting the quality of life model related to the health of patients with type 2 diabetes based on disease perception, BMI and demographic characteristics with the mediating role of self-care behaviors

The aim of this study was to provide a health-related quality of life model for patients with type 2 diabetes based on disease perception, BMI and demographic characteristics with the mediating role of self-care behaviors. The research method was descriptive-correlation type. The statistical population of the research was type 2 diabetes patients who had visited the hospitals of Tankabon and Ramsar. The sample of the study was 350 patients with type 2 diabetes who were selected by available sampling method. Data were collected using health-related quality of life questionnaires (Baroghs et al., 2004), disease perception (Weinman et al., 1996), self-care behaviors (Tobert et al., 2000), body mass index, and demographic characteristics questionnaire. Data analysis was done by structural equation modeling method. The findings showed that the structural model of the health-related quality of life of patients with type 2 diabetes based on disease perception, BMI and demographic characteristics (age, education level, age of disease onset, duration of disease) with the mediating role of self-care behaviors fits with experimental data. Therefore, since the quality of life is considered an important health outcome, it is necessary to consider it as a main issue in the care of different patients, including patients with diabetes.