Clinical factors influencing knowledge and self-care practice among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Richard Adongo Afaya, Victoria Bam, Alberta Yemotsoo Lomotey and 1 others
PMID 36464636WHAT IT FOUND
Adults with type 2 diabetes on insulin or combined oral agents and insulin had higher knowledge scores; longer clinic attendance was linked to better self-care.
Diabetic foot and hypertension were linked to lower self-care scores. These are associations, not proof.
Key findings
01Participants on insulin or combined oral plus insulin treatment had higher knowledge test scores than those on oral agents alone (B = 4.17, p = 0.023; B = 7.26, p < 0.001).
02Longer clinic attendance and insulin treatment were associated with higher self-care days scores (B = 0.69 per year, p = 0.005; B = 1.4, p = 0.028).
03Diabetic foot and hypertension were associated with lower self-care days scores (B = -4.46, p = 0.001; B = -1.13, p = 0.021).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The cross-sectional design cannot show whether treatment, clinic attendance, complications, or family history caused changes in knowledge or self-care. Convenience sampling was used, so the patients may not represent other diabetes populations. Self-care was self-reported over the last 7 days, so recall and social desirability bias are possible. Many participants had no formal education (60.6%), and questionnaires were translated verbally for those unable to read or write English, which may affect measurement. The methods text describes multivariable logistic regression, while the tables report B coefficients and adjusted R2, leaving the exact model type unclear.
Declared interests
No funding was received for this study, and the authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that insulin, combined therapy, or clinic attendance improves diabetes knowledge or self-care. This was a cross-sectional convenience survey, and the authors suggest insulin-treated patients may have had more healthcare contact or uncontrolled disease; self-care was also self-reported.