The study of eye care behaviors in patients with type 2 diabetes

The purpose of present study was to investigate eye care behaviors based on the BASNEF model and Health Locus of Control (HLOC) in patients with type 2 diabetes(T2D).

This cross-sectional analytical study was carried out on 150 patients with T2D in Iran in 2019. The subjects were selected using simple random sampling. The data collection tools included demographic, eye self-care behavior inventory based on BASNEF model and health locus of control whose validity and reliability were confirmed. Data analysis was carried out using Independent samples-t test ANOVA, and linear regression in SPSS ver. 24.

The results of linear regression showed that knowledge, attitude, subjective norms, enabling factors, internal HLOC, chance HLOC and external HLOC were able to predict 17% of intention to eye self-care behaviors (P < 0.001) and attitude was the strongest construct in predicting intention of eye care behavior in patients with T2D (P < 0.05). In this study, most people had internal HLOC and mean (± SD) of their internal construct was 27.42(± 2.73). Also, the enabling factors construct showed a significant correlation with the internal HLOC (r = 0.283) and behavioral intention (r = 0.348) (P < 0.001).

The results of this study showed that attitude and enabling factors are effective constructs in predicting the intention to perform preventive behaviors of ocular complications in T2D patients. Therefore, it is recommended to organize training classes, access resources, and educational information, facilitate access to physicians for eye examinations, create new skills for care and prevention of ocular complications.