Fam Pract. 2024 Feb 27:cmae010. doi: 10.1093/fampra/cmae010. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in China continues to escalate.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of family support system on the self-management behaviour of patients with T2DM.
METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 1,042 participants were sampled using a multistage stratified probability-proportionate-to-size method. On-site interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire administered by 122 family doctors from 13 community health service centres in 8 administrative districts. A structural equation model was established to investigate the impact of individual factors and family support system on the self-management behaviour of T2DM patients. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 25.0 software.
RESULTS: The self-management behaviour pass rate among individuals with T2DM was 40.9%. In terms of individual factors, those with a high school education level or above demonstrated higher self-management behaviour scores than those with a junior high school education level or lower. The structural equation model revealed a path of interactions among individual factors, family support system-related factors, and the self-management behaviour of patients with T2DM: Family function → Family support → Patients’ self-management behaviour → Quality of life. The coefficient of the direct path from family function to family support was 0.74 (P < 0.001), while the coefficient of the direct path from family support to self-management behaviour was 0.68 (P = 0.001).
CONCLUSION: There is significant room for improvement in the self-management behaviour of T2DM patients in China. Family function can enhance the self-management behaviour of T2DM patients by promoting family support.
PMID:38412362 | DOI:10.1093/fampra/cmae010
