SELF- CARE PRACTICES AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG ADULT DIABETIC PATIENTS IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS OF DIRE DAWA ADMINISTRATION, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body can not produce enough insulin or cannot use insulin effectively. It is a huge growing problem, and causes high and escalating costs to the society. To prevent serious morbidity and mortality, diabetes treatment requires commitment to demanding self-care behaviors in multiple domains, including nutrition choices, physical activity, appropriate medications intake and blood glucose monitoring. Even though the majority of diabetic treatment in lines with good self-care practice, the number of research‟s conducted on self-care practice is not adequate and some domains, like foot care practice were not addressed. And there is little information in the study area. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess self- care practices and its associated factors among adult diabetic patients in Dire Dawa public hospitalsof Eastern, Ethiopia. METHODS:In this cross-sectional study, 513 diabetic patients were selected through systematic random sampling method. Data was collected from Feb, 01 to March 01, 2018. Patients were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. After checking completeness the collected data were entered into Epi-data version 3.3.1 and exported to SPSS version 22.0 for analysis. The result of analysis was presented by using frequencies, summary measures, texts, tables and graphs. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression with crude and adjusted odds ratios along with the 95% confidence interval was computed and interpreted accordingly. A P-value of <0.05 was considered to declare a result as statistically significant. RESULTS:The result of the study showed that the magnitude of self care practices is only 55.9 %,( 95% CI: 51.4, 60.3) of participants had good self-care practices., There were statistical and positive association between good diabetes knowledge (AOR= 2.144 , 95% CI :1.373, 3.349), family support system (AOR= 2.693, 95% CI:1.568, 4.626), treatment satisfaction (AOR= 2.069, 95% CI:1.184, 3.616), diabetes education from health professionals (AOR= 2.209, 95% CI: 1.346, 3.625), high economic status (AOR= 1.885, 95% CI: 1.023, 3.474), having glucometer,(AOR=2.693, 95% CI:1.568, 4.626),higher educational status (AOR= 2.683 , 95% CI: 1.311, 5.485), and duration of disease greater than 10 years AOR=2.704, 95% CI: 1.169, 6.258)with good self-care practice. Conclusion and recomendation:Despite the important role of self-care practices in management of diabetes and preventing its serious complications, a substantial number of the patients had poor self-care practices especiallydietary practice eand self-monitoring of blood glucose which have critical roles in controlling diabetes.So strategies that can improve these discrepancies like provision of diabetes self-care education and counselling especially on importance of self-monitoring of blood glucose, and ditery practice should be considered by responsible bodies.