Self-Efficacy: An Efficient Functional Concept in Type 2 Diabetes Control

Diabetic patients have some difficulties in controlling their disease and integrating it in their life. Self-efficacy is a psychosocial variable in the field of diabetes which can have desirable or undesirable effects on all kinds of disease outcomes. This study aimed to determine self-efficacy and its effective factors among type 2 diabetic patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted during four months in 2011. Consecutive sampling was used to select 140 patients with type 2 diabetes. A questionnaire including demographic characteristics، health-related questions (12 items) and diabetes self- efficacy scale (8 items) was employed to collect data. All items were scored on a scale of 1 (not at all confident) to 10 (totally confident). Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the collected data in SPSS11. 5. The response rate was 100%. The mean age and diabetes duration were 53. 23 ± 7. 82 and 53. 23 ± 7. 82 years، respectively. While the mean score of self-efficacy was 36. 29 ± 9. 27، 58. 6% of the participants had low self-efficacy. In addition، self- efficacy had significant relations with marital status (P < 0. 001)، education level (P = 0. 04)، general health status (P = 0. 04)، disease duration (P = 0. 02)، and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level (P = 0. 002). Self-efficacy has a key role in diabetes control. However، a high percentage of our participants had low self-efficacy. Therefore، educational interventions using health education and promotion theories focusing on self-efficacy are necessary.