Diabetes self‐management and its related factors among Chinese young adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus

AIM: To explore the status quo of self-management among young adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the determinants of self-management under the guidance of social cognitive theory. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: In total, 227 young adults (18-44 years old) with T2DM at two hospitals in Beijing completed the questionnaires. The Summary of Diabetes Self-care Activities (SDSCA) was used, along with additional questionnaires about diabetes self-efficacy, attitude, diabetes distress, diabetes knowledge, coping styles and social support. Univariate analysis and multiple linear regression were used to explore the related factors of self-management among the young patients. RESULTS: The scores for the SDSCA in diet, exercise, blood-glucose testing, foot care and medication taking were (4.16 ± 1.51), (3.46 ± 2.50), (2.28 ± 2.24), (1.08 ± 1.84) and (6.09 ± 1.88), respectively. Stepwise multiple linear regression showed that fasting blood-glucose value was significantly associated with self-management behaviours of diet, exercise, blood-glucose testing and medication taking. Self-efficacy was significantly associated with self-management behaviours of diet, exercise and foot care. Diabetes distress, diabetes-related social activity, confrontation, education, duration of T2DM, treatment modalities and diabetes knowledge were associated with the one or two dimensions of SDSCA in the young adults with T2DM.