Diabetes Self-Care Activities: A Community-Based Survey in an Urban Slum in Hyderabad, India

Diabetes is a chronic illness with silent manifestations, which can be better managed by the individual through self-care behaviors such as diet control, proper exercise, monitoring blood glucose, and adherence to dug.

The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of existing self-care behaviors among people with diabetes and its associated factors.

It was a community-based, cross-sectional study conducted in an urban slum in Hyderabad. A total of 208 cases of diabetes mellitus were interviewed. The details of diabetes self-care activities were recorded by using the modified Summary Diabetes Self-care Activities Questionnaire. The data were analyzed by applying SPSS US at 24, and the factors associated with good self-care behavior were found.

The study revealed that the prevalence of good dietary behavior, good exercise behavior, good monitoring behavior, and good drug adherence was 29.8%, 30.3%, 44.2%, and 56.3%, respectively. Education of secondary class and above (odds ratio [OR] 3.001; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.139-6.447) was found to be associated with good dietary behavior, and male gender (OR 3.691; 95% CI: 1.965-6.936) was associated with good exercise behavior. Good monitoring behavior and good drug behavior were found to be associated with higher socioeconomic status (OR 4.540; 95% CI: 2.418-8.522) and age 50 years and above (OR 3.4; 95% CI: 1.731-6.675), respectively.

Good dietary and exercise behavior were found poor in comparison to good monitoring behavior and drug adherence. The factors significantly associated were male sex, higher education, higher socioeconomic status, and age above 50 years.