Barriers to Participation in Self-Care Empowerment Programs for Diabetic Women: A Qualitative Study

Diabetes is a common disease that leaves serious complications. Educating the patient about the disease and self-care methods can prevent negative consequences, but few patients participate in self-care education. The present study explains the understanding and beliefs of diabetic women about the barriers to participating in self-care empowerment programs.
This qualitative research was conducted in Sabzevar city. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants and theoretical sampling was also used to complete the classes. Data was collected by semi-structured interview. A total of 21 diabetic women were interviewed for 6 months. The interviews were analyzed with Graham and Landman 's content analysis method. To ensure consistency and accuracy of data, credibility, transferability, dependability,and conformability criteria were assessed.  
The results of the qualitative content analysis led to the extraction of 4 main categories including "scientific information related to the disease and self-care", "the way the doctor deals with the patient and the disease", "the physical and mental health status of the patient" and "beliefs and opinions".
According to the findings of the research, it is recommended to design interventions for physicians in order to establish more interaction between physicians and patients, considering the influence of their recommendations and behaviors on patients' decision to participate in self-care and attend educational programs