Diabetes self-care activities and its correlates in patients with diabetic neuropathy

Background: Diabetic neuropathy is the most common chronic complication observed in patients with diabetes and has significant clinical implications, such as decreased quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality rates. Studies on the factors affecting diabetes self-care activities pertaining to patients with diabetic neuropathy are limited. Therefore, a more in-depth study targeting individuals with diabetic neuropathy is required to develop patient-centred nursing interventions.

Aim: This study aimed to identify diabetes self-care activities among patients with diabetic neuropathy and determine their correlates.

Methods: This study employed a descriptive correlational design and the study subjects consisted of 99 patients with diabetic neuropathy. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analyses were used to analyse the factors affecting diabetes self-care activities. This study follows the STROBE guidelines to ensure rigorous reporting of cross-sectional studies.

Results: Our findings revealed positive correlations between diabetes self-care activities and factors including knowledge of diabetes foot care, diabetes foot care practices, interpretation of diabetic neuropathy and foot care confidence. Foot care confidence positively correlated with diabetes foot care knowledge, practices and interpretation of neuropathy, but negatively related to diabetic stress. In determining the impact of these factors on diabetes self-care activities, hierarchical regression analysis revealed that patients with higher diabetes foot care practices and foot care confidence demonstrated higher levels of diabetes self-care activities.

Conclusion: The study findings confirmed that diabetic foot care practices and foot care confidence significantly influenced self-care activities in patients with diabetic neuropathy. Considering these results, customizing the intervention content to match diabetic foot care practices and diabetic foot care confidence can enhance self-care activities in patients with diabetic neuropathy.

Patient or public contribution: Survey questionnaires were completed by patients with diabetic neuropathy in this study.