Family support, diet, and exercise among older Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between diabetes-specific family support and other psychosocial factors with regard to diet and exercise self-care behavior among older Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes.



Adults aged 55 years and older who presented for care in a primary care clinic for type 2 diabetes (N=138) completed a survey to assess family support specific to diabetes, barriers to self-management, self-efficacy, and diabetes self-care activities. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between family support and self-care activities for diet and exercise.



Higher levels of perceived family support and greater self-efficacy were associated with higher reported levels of diet and exercise self-care. As the barriers to exercise increased, the levels of exercise self-care decreased. Living with family members (more than just a spouse or significant other) was associated with higher levels of diet self-care, as was older age.



Family behavior is associated with diet and exercise self-care. Diabetes educators and healthcare providers should consider involving the entire family in the management of older patients with type 2 diabetes. Interventions designed to improve diabetes self-management should address family support specific to diabetes, self-efficacy, and barriers to self-care.
Wen
Lonnie K
LK
Veterans Evidence-based Research, Dissemination, and Implementation CenTer (VERDICT), South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio
Shepherd
Marvin D
MD
College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin
Parchman
Michael L
ML
Veterans Evidence-based Research, Dissemination, and Implementation CenTer (VERDICT), South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio|Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003927:Diet, Diabetic; D015444:Exercise; D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D017058:Mexican Americans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012648:Self Care; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States