The Mediation Effect of Attitude on the Association Between Knowledge and Self-Management Behaviors in Chinese Patients With Diabetes

Objective: This study aims to investigate the level of knowledge, attitude and self-management behaviors of diabetic patients, to explore the mediating role of attitude in the relationship between knowledge and self-management behaviors. Methods: 900 diabetes patients were randomly selected from the eastern, central and western regions of Shandong Province, China, and recovered 863 valid questionnaires. Path analysis was used to examine the mediating role of attitude in the relationship between knowledge and self-management behaviors in patients with diabetes. Results: The mean score (SD) of the diabetes self-management questionnaire (DSMQ) in this study was 35.01 (6.87). The direct effect value of knowledge level on self-management behaviors was 0.357, accounting for 62.09% of the total effect. The indirect effect value of knowledge on self-management behaviors through attitude was 0.218, accounting for 37.91%. Conclusion: Level of knowledge has a significant direct impact on self-management behaviors and an indirect impact on self-management behaviors through attitude. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen health education on diabetes to improve awareness, ameliorate attitudes toward diabetes, and change self-management behaviors.