The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on self-management in patients with type 2 diabetics

AIMS: The research was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on levels of self-management in individuals with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive type of study was conducted between 21 December 2020 and 1 April 2021. It was performed with 378 individuals with type 2 diabetes attending the endocrinology clinic and outpatients’ department of a government hospital who agreed to participate in the research. In the collection of data, a Patient Identification Form, Visual Analog Scales (an Anxiety VAS and a Stress VAS), and the Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ) were used. The Wilcoxon test, Independent Sample t test, One-Way Anova and binary logistic regression were used in the analysis of data. RESULTS: The Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ) total mean score of the individuals with type 2 diabetes participating in the study during the COVID-19 pandemic was 5.25 ± 1.04. Their anxiety total mean score was 0.32 ± 1.56, and their total mean stress score was 7.06 ± 1.62. Being male, over the age of 65, married and having a diagnosis of diabetes for 6–11 years, increased smoking, the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced physical activity (not walking) and support obtained from health professionals, and increased anxiety and stress levels were found to be risk factors affecting diabetic self-management. CONCLUSIONS: The findings show that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative effect on the self-management levels of individuals with type 2 diabetes.