Self-care is Renouncement, Routine, and Control: The Experience of Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. (July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Luciani, Michela; Montali, Lorenzo; Nicolò, Gabriella; Fabrizi, Diletta; Di Mauro, Stefania; Ausili, Davide
• Is Part Of: Clinical nursing research. Volume 30:Number 6(2021)
• Page Start: 892
• Page End: 900
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Subjects: interpretive phenomenological analysis -- qualitative research -- self-care -- self-management -- self-efficacy -- type 2 diabetes mellitus; Nursing -- Research -- Periodicals; Nursing -- Periodicals; Clinical medicine -- Research -- Periodicals; 610.73
• DOI: 10.1177/1054773820969540
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1054-7738

Abstract

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus can cause serious complications; it has a severe impact on the quality of life and high costs. One of the key strategies to manage diabetes is self-care, a complex multifactorial process influenced by personal, cultural, and systemic factors, that comprises self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring, and self-care management. Few patients perform adequate self-care. To deepen our understanding of patients' experiences of self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring, and self-care management, we conducted the first qualitative study on this topic. This study used Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, informed by the Middle-range Theory of Self-care of Chronic Illness, to explore the experience and meaning of self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring, and self-care management in adults with T2DM (n = 10). Three themes were identified: self-care is renouncement, self-care is routine, and self-care is control. A cross-cutting moral pattern connects the three themes. Our findings corroborate the Middle-range Theory of Self-care of Chronic Illness in the field of diabetes self-care and could inform practitioners in understanding the experience of self-care as a complex phenomenon and in developing tailored interventions.