Factors influencing self-care behaviors of diabetic patients in diabetes mellitus clinic, Changhan Hospital, Roi Et province, Thailand

Abstract

To find out the factors influencing self-care behaviors of diabetic patients treated at the Diabetes Mellitus Clinic, Changhan Hospital, Roi Et Province. It was a cross-sectional study with simple random sampling among 315 samples. Data collection was in December 2009. Descriptive statistics was employed (frequency, percentage, means, standard deviation) and Chi Square test was used to find out the relationship among social-demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitude about diabetes mellitus, and self-care behaviors of diabetic patients. The result found that demographic data of majority of samples was females (72.1%), more than 60 years old (39.7%), married (73.3%), finished Prathomsuksa or lower (88.3%), agiculturers (77.1%), with household monthly income and expenses of less than 2,000 baht (56.5% and 44.8% respectively). The duration of their diabetes illness was less than 5 years (53.3%). Sixty-two point five percent of the patients had no family members with diabetes mellitus history, and 66.7% had people around them to motivate them to control diabetes. Ninety-one point one percent had information on diabetes from public health officers. It also found that knowledge had the relationship with the level of self-care behaviors of diabetic patients. In the future, there should be cooperation of people in the community for diabetes control with a promotion of knowledge and attitudes correctly.