EVALUATING FACTORS INFLUENCING SELF-CARE PRACTICES AND KNOWLEDGE

ABSTRACT

Diabetes is one of the most challenging health problems in the twenty-first century, and it's prevalence has been rising more rapidly in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. The main purpose of the study was to evaluate the factors influencing self care practices and knowledge of diabetes mellitus patients in selected hospitals in South-South Nigeria. Participants included 231 respondents of which 142 respondents were from University of Benin Teaching Hospital and 89 respondents were from Edo Central Hospital Benin City. A descriptive cross sectional study was employed in this study. The Instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire, containing 49 items. Data collected were analyzed using simple percentage, means, tables and regression analysis by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results were presented in frequency tables. Findings revealed that the mean age of respondents was 57-69 years 77(33.3%) and majority were married 145(62.8%). A higher number of the respondents 225(97.4%) had the knowledge that consuming much sugar and other sweet food puts one at risk of having diabetes, majority of the respondents 174(75%) had poor practice on self-care and inadequate training on Diabetes self-care activities 60(26%) and reduced access to health care practitioners 59(25.4%) were the most common factors that influence adherence to self-care practices among diabetes patients in this study. The findings from the study showed that self-care practice was not widely practiced. The study thus calls on need for extensive health education and health promotion programs by health care providers to prevent diabetes mellitus among the general public, health care providers should also encourage diabetic patients on the need for proper follow up care and strict adherence to proper self-care to prevent complications.

Key words: Self-care, self-care practices, Diabetes Mellitus, influencing factors.