Factors Influencing Diabetes Self-Management of Filipino Americans with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Holistic Approach

There is an increasing prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus among Filipino Americans. However, how well Filipino Americans with diabetes self-manage their disease and what factors influence their diabetes self-management behaviors remain unknown. Based on a holistic approach, this quantitative study was designed to investigate the diabetes self-management behaviors of this population and the factors influencing their self-management behaviors. The combined roles of diabetes knowledge, diabetes self-efficacy, spirituality, and social support were examined in predicting diabetes self-care behaviors. A convenience sample of 113 Filipino Americans with Type 2 diabetes mellitus completed the Diabetes Knowledge Test, Self-Efficacy for Diabetes Test, Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, Diabetes Social Support Questionnaire-Family Version, Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (Expanded), and a researcher-designed sociodemographic survey. A single sample t-test determined that the participants engaged well in diabetes self-management practices. Multiple regression analyses revealed self-efficacy, spirituality, and social support were predictive of diabetes self-management behaviors, even after controlling for the effect of the confounding variables (e.g., acculturation, socioeconomic status, health-related data, immigration status, education). Diabetes knowledge did not have a significant relationship to self-management. The implications for positive social change include the potential impact of educating clients with diabetes and their family members about the connections between self-efficacy, spirituality, and family social support in the self-management of diabetes. Furthermore, the use of a holistic approach by health professionals would improve diabetes self-management practices of Filipino American population with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.