Abstract
Introduction
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a significant global health issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as Cambodia, where its prevalence is rising rapidly. This study investigated the factors associated with self-care behavior among patients with T2D at a referral hospital in Cambodia, utilizing the Common-Sense Model as a framework.
Methods
A cross-sectional study involving 196 participants aged 18 to 69 years who visited the outpatient ward of Kampong Speu Referral Hospital from January to March 2024 was conducted. Data were collected through structured questionnaires assessing sociodemographic characteristics, medical status, and self-care behaviors. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata V.14 to identify associations between these factors and self-care behaviors.
Results
Overall, 65.32% of patients had poorly controlled fasting blood glucose levels (>130 mg/dL), and 39.82% were classified as obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²). Self-care behaviors varied across domains. Most participants reported regular exercise (97.96%) and medication adherence (86.73%), whereas fewer adhered to recommended dietary practices (38.78%) or foot care (30.61%), and only 4.57% performed regular blood glucose testing. A greater percentage of patients with a poor diet was observed among patients without a follow-up HbA1c (55.83%) and those with poorly controlled HbA1c (35.0%) than among those with controlled HbA1c (9.17%) (p = 0.005). Similarly, poor dietary behavior was more common among patients with missing fasting blood glucose (FBG) data (83.33%) and uncontrolled FBG (60.94%) than among those with controlled FBG (50.0%) (p = 0.026). Patients with a duration of diabetes greater than 10 years also reported poor dietary behavior (80.56%) compared with those with a duration of diabetes greater than 6 months (p = 0.022). The participants also demonstrated awareness of the importance of reporting vision changes.
Conclusion
The results underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve self-care behaviors among T2D patients, particularly in managing obesity and blood glucose levels. This study emphasizes the role of sociodemographic factors in influencing self-care practices and suggests that enhancing patient education could lead to better health outcomes. This research contributes valuable insights into the self-care behaviors of T2D patients in Cambodia, suggesting the development of improved healthcare strategies to support effective diabetes management.