Adherence to self‐care and social support

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Abstract
• The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to describe adherence to self‐care, perceived difficulties and social support in a group of adult patients (n=213) with insulin‐treated diabetes from two outpatient clinics in Northern Finland. • Data were collected by questionnaire. The instruments were developed to measure adherence to self‐care, difficulties in self‐care and social support. The response rate was 76%. • One‐way ANOVA, logistic regression analysis, contingency and Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used in the statistical analysis. • A fifth of the respondents were neglecting their self‐care. The others undertook flexible, regimen‐adherent or self‐planned self‐care. • The subjects had no difficulties with insulin treatment, but had more problems with other aspects of self‐care. • Poor metabolic control, smoking and living alone predicted neglect of self‐care, but if patients had support from family and friends, living alone was not a predictor of neglect of self‐care. • Those with poor metabolic control perceived themselves as getting peer support from other persons with diabetes.