Current Status of Self-management and Barriers in Elderly Diabetic Patient

Gyong Ae Choi; Soo Mi Jang; Hong Woo Nam

doi:10.4093/kdj.2008.32.3.280

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Choi, Jang, and Nam: Current Status of Self-management and Barriers in Elderly Diabetic Patient

Original Article

Korean Diabetes Journal

Korean Diabetes Journal 2008; 32(3): 280-289.

Published online: 30 June 2008

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4093/kdj.2008.32.3.280

Current Status of Self-management and Barriers in Elderly Diabetic Patient

Gyong Ae Choi, Soo Mi Jang¹, Hong Woo Nam²

Department of Social Work, HanGang Sacred Heart Hospital Hallym University, Korea.

¹Department of Social Welfare, Cheongju University, Korea.

²Department of Internal Medicine, National Hospital, Korea.

Received 16 January 2008 Accepted 20 June 2008

Abstract

Background

Diabetes has a critical effect on elderly diabetic patients' quality of life. Elderly diabetic patients have many difficulties in diabetes self-management because their physical, psychological and social functions are decreased as a result of the aging process. Therefore, we evaluated the current status of self-management and barriers in elderly diabetic patients.

Methods

The sample was 124 elderly diabetic patients (over 61 years) who visited a hospital and two senior welfare centers in Seoul from July to August 2006. The results of the study were analyzed by descriptive statistics, ANOVA, T-test, and hierarchical regression.

Results

1) Diabetes self-management was composed of insulin injection, diet, exercise, foot management, smoking and drinking alcohol. An average score of self-management in the elderly diabetic patients was 4.5784. In demographic variables, only job status showed a significant effect on self-management. 2) Barriers such as 'forgetting taking diet and medication', 'being interrupted by others', and 'lack of family and social support' were significant factors in diabetes self-management. 3) These barriers for diabetes self-management were still significant in the case of controlling demographic and clinical variables.

Conclusion

Diabetic educator should identify the significant factors that affect patient's self-management such as whether they have a full-time job, or the type of their job. In addition, diabetes education should focus on assertiveness training to deal with various interpersonal barriers and empowerment for enhancing patient's self-efficacy. These approaches would benefit patients who experience barriers of diabetes self-management.

Keywords: Barriers, Elderly diabetic patients, Self-management, Social support

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Self-management of the elderly diabetic patients

Table 2

Self-management according to demographic characteristics

^*P < 0.05, ^†P < 0.01, ^‡P < 0.001.

Table 3

Self-management according to clinical characteristics

^*P < 0.05, ^†P < 0.01, ^‡P < 0.001.

Table 4

Self-management barriers of elderly diabetic patients

Table 5

Multiple regression analysis of barriers to self-management

^*P < 0.05, ^†P < 0.01. R² 0.237 (adjusted R² 0.166); F, 3.322 (P < 0.01).

Table 6

Hierarchical regression analysis on the role of barriers to self-management

^*P < 0.10, ^†P < 0.05, ^‡P < 0.01, ^§P < 0.001.

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