Aims and objectives: The aim of this paper is to explore self-care in diabetes and to present a model of factors that affect self-care according to reviewed literature.
Background: Self-care in diabetes is crucial to keep the disease under control. Self-care consists at least four aspects: (i) self-monitoring of blood glucose, (ii) variation of nutrition to daily needs, (iii) insulin dose adjustments to actual needs and (iv) taking exercise regularly. It is known that diverse factors influence self-care such as knowledge, physical skills and emotional aspects and self-efficacy which have been listed as being of high importance.
Methods: The searched databases were ProQuest, PsycINFO and Medline from 1995 to 2002. The search terms were "self-care" or "self-management" coexisting with diabetes and "self-efficacy". The search was limited to English and adults with type 1 diabetes.
Results: The main components of the model clarify how knowledge, physical skills and emotional factors as well as self-efficacy influence self-care which again affects metabolic control. Flexible self-care indicates high level of self-care when patients are able to care for and manage the disease in a responsible and flexible way that does not affect their life extensively, resulting in adequate glycosylated haemoglobin value. Self-efficacy is a strong predictor of flexible self-care and affects metabolic control through increased perceived ability to conduct self-care.
Conclusions: The review illuminated that benefits of self-care should be emphasized and knowledge of the Diabetes Complication and Control Trial results can contribute to better self-care. However, factors affecting flexible self-care still require better identification.
Relevance to clinical practice: The review emphasizes and adds to the topic, that in daily practice health care practitioners must assess diabetes-related knowledge, physical skills and emotional factors in combination with self-efficacy and the four self-care areas. The effects of self-monitoring of blood glucose needs better clarifications as it is now regarded the cornerstone of flexible self-care.