The Effect of Stigmatization on Diabetes Health Promotion Self-Care Behaviours and Predictors of Stigma and Self-Care Behaviours in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes

BackgroundIndividuals with type 2 diabetes are at risk of delaying or not performing diabetes health promotion self-care behaviours because of their social or self-stigmatization.AimThe study aimed to reveal the effect of stigmatization on diabetes health promotion self-care behaviours and predictors of stigma and diabetes health promotion self-care behaviours in individuals with type 2 diabetes.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 235 individuals with type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes Stigma Assessment Scale (DSAS) and Diabetes Health Promotion Self-Care Scale (DHPSCS) were used for data collection.ResultsThere was a significant, negative correlation between the DSAS and DHPSCS scores. High mean scores on the DSAS and its subscales treated differently, blame/judgement and self-stigma were predictors of a negative effect on diabetes self-care behaviours. Poor health status, alcohol intake and diabetes complications are predictive of stigma. Insulin use and self-monitoring blood glucose are predictors of self-care behaviours.ConclusionStigma negatively affects diabetes self-care behaviours in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Nurses could provide education on improvement of health status, harms of alcohol intake and management of diabetes complications. Counselling for coping with stigma and performing self-care could be provided. Nurses could organize interventions to raise awareness about diabetes in society. What is already known about this topic? Diabetes health promotion self-care behaviours are important to ensure diabetes management in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Stigmatization is known to negatively affect individuals with type 2 diabetes.What this paper adds? Negative correlations were found between stigmatization and diabetes health promotion self-care behaviours. Treated differently, blame and judgement and self-stigma were found to be predictors of a negative effect on diabetes health promotion self-care. Poor health status, diabetes complications and drinking alcohol were found to be predictors of diabetes stigma.The implications of this paper: Nurses should deliver education on enhancement of health status, damages of alcohol intake and management of diabetes complications. Nurses should offer psychosocial support programmes to avoid self-stigma in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Nurses could perform interventions to increase awareness about diabetes in society.