title: Adherence to self-care and social support.
abstract: The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to describe adherence to self-care, perceived difficulties and social support in a group of adult patients (n = 213) with insulin-treated diabetes from two outpatient clinics in Northern Finland. Data were collected by questionnaire. The instruments were developed to measure adherence to self-care, difficulties in self-care and social support. The response rate was 76%. One-way ANOVA, logistic regression analysis, contingency and Pearson's correlation coefficients were used in the statistical analysis. A fifth of the respondents were neglecting their self-care. The others undertook flexible, regimen-adherent or self-planned self-care. The subjects had no difficulties with insulin treatment, but had more problems with other aspects of self-care. Poor metabolic control, smoking and living alone predicted neglect of self-care, but if patients had support from family and friends, living alone was not a predictor of neglect of self-care. Those with poor metabolic control perceived themselves as getting peer support from other persons with diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing and Health Administration, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu, Finland. maisa.toljamo@oulu.fi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toljamo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hentinen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards; D010379:Peer Group; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires