Published Paper Details:

This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to assess self-care practices and associated factors among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients attending the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital in Bhopal. A total of 352 T2DM patients aged 18 years and above, diagnosed for more than one year, were selected using non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) questionnaire and a self-structured tool assessing demographics, clinical variables, and self-care behaviors. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 20, with significance set at 0.05. The results revealed that only 15.06% of participants exhibited good self-care practices, while 39.77% had moderate adherence and 45.17% showed poor self-care. Exercise adherence was notably low (13%), and 66.7% had poor blood glucose monitoring, despite 29% owning a glucometer. Significant associations were found between self-care practices and education (p=0.003), occupation (p=0.004), and glucometer availability (p=0.002), while poor exercise habits correlated with marital status (p=0.047) and residence (p=0.013). The findings highlight critical gaps in self-care, particularly in exercise and blood glucose monitoring, emphasizing the need for increased awareness and structured support to enhance diabetes management and prevent complications.