Abstract
The study examined the motives that people living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) had for self-managing their condition and ways they used to assess the success of their self-management efforts. Using semistructured interviews (N = 25), focus groups (3 × N = 12 participants), and open-ended questionnaires (N = 6), people living with and self-managing T2D were recruited from a community-based T2D participation group. Most participants were older (aged 60+) and lived in a socioeconomically deprived area in the United Kingdom. Data were analysed thematically using framework analysis. Patients' motives for self-management included (i) concern about the anticipative effects of T2D; (ii) wishing to “stay well”; (iii) maintaining independence; (iv) reducing the need for healthcare professionals; and (v) improving quality of life. Six self-management styles were found and pertained to self-managing: (i) through routinisation; (ii) as a burden; (iii) as maintenance; (iv) through delegation; (v) through comanagement; and (vi) through autonomy. Motivators for self-management shaped the criteria people used to judge the success of their self-management practices and influenced their self-management style. The findings show that styles of T2D self-management are mediated and moderated by sociocontextual issues. Healthcare professionals should take these into account when supporting people living with T2D.
Highlights
type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a long term condition requiring lifestyle changes, such as dietary changes and increases in physical activity as well as medication-taking, to control it and avoid life-threatening complications
Participants were recruited from a monthly drop-in diabetes patient and public involvement group, a voluntary serviceuser led, peer-support group for people living with T2D which was sponsored by the local health provider
Sixty-five per cent (65%; n = 24) of participants self-reported being white with the remaining participants self-reporting being black African or Caribbean
Summary
T2D is a long term condition requiring lifestyle changes, such as dietary changes and increases in physical activity as well as medication-taking, to control it and avoid life-threatening complications. Studies have shown that a multitude of psychosocial barriers exist for people living with T2D in performing clinically recommended behaviours and self-management [1, 2]. Nam et al [3] suggest that better understanding of the relationships between the multifactorial barriers to T2D management as well as the mechanisms which mediate and moderate T2D management is required. Understanding how these mechanisms might influence how people living with T2D perceive their illness and experience self-management is important, as is their impact on their health outcomes [3, 4]. Kelleher’s [5] work on managing diabetes suggested that maintaining a “normal” life was as key a concern for people self-managing diabetes as meeting their day-to-day selfmanagement needs. Kelleher [5] developed a typology of how T2D was managed based on the amount of restriction a person felt when self-managing
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
