Personal and Psychological Predictors of Glycemic Control among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes at a Tertiary Care Center in Ghana

Abstract

Abstract Background: As diabetes is a chronic disease, patients must make adjustments to their lifestyle and self-care practices to live optimally with the disease and reduce associated morbidity. Their ability to make these adjustments is partly dependent on their coping capacity and resilience, which may enhance glycemic control. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 156 consented and randomly selected type 2 diabetes patients was conducted at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, a national health facility in Accra, Ghana. Structured questionnaires were used to extract information on sociodemographic characteristics and clinical parameters (including glycemic control), while the Africultural Coping Systems Inventory and the Adult Resilience Measure were administered to assess cultural variables and resilience. Stata version 16.1 was used to analyze the data, and the significance level was set at P ≤ 0.05. Results: Ethnicity, age, and working status were significantly associated with glycemic control. Adjusted binary logistic regression revealed that the odds of good glycemic control among nonhypertensive patients was 2.8 times greater compared with hypertensive patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.80, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–7.69); while the odds of good glycemic control increase by 17% with every 1-point increase in the resilience caregiver arm score (aOR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01–1.37). Conclusions: Efforts should be made toward implementing proactive measures aimed at enhancing income levels, coping strategies, and resilience among patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Such initiatives are crucial for assisting individuals in adapting to the chronic nature of the condition and its associated treatment regimen, ultimately leading to improved glycemic control and treatment outcomes.