A Qualitative Exploration of Motivation to Self-Manage and Styles of Self-Management amongst People Living with Type 2 Diabetes

摘要

The study examined the motives that people living with type 2 diabetes (T2D) had for self-managing their condition and ways they used to assess the success of their self-management efforts. Using semistructured interviews (N = 25), focus groups (3 ×  N = 12 participants), and open-ended questionnaires (N = 6), people living with and self-managing T2D were recruited from a community-based T2D participation group. Most participants were older (aged 60+) and lived in a socioeconomically deprived area in the United Kingdom. Data were analysed thematically usingframework analysis. Patients' motives forself-management included (i) concern about theanticipative effects of T2D; (ii) wishing to“stay well”; (iii) maintainingindependence; (iv) reducing the need forhealthcare professionals; and (v) improvingquality of life. Six self-management styles werefound and pertained to self-managing: (i)through routinisation; (ii) as a burden; (iii)as maintenance; (iv) through delegation; (v)through comanagement; and (vi) throughautonomy. Motivators for self-management shapedthe criteria people used to judge the success oftheir self-management practices and influencedtheir self-management style. The findings showthat styles of T2D self-management are mediatedand moderated by sociocontextual issues.Healthcare professionals should take these intoaccount when supporting people living withT2D.