Determinants of Self- Management Among Diabetic Patients: A Path Analysis

Diabetes self-management (DSM) is a complex behavior and various factors influence it. Despite continual recommendations to DSM, implementation of this behavior still remains a major health problem for diabetic patients. Identifying effective factors in DSM is useful to promote health in diabetic patients. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of individual and environmental factors on DSM. Path analysis was used to examine both one-way direct and indirect effects of 7 constructs and 3 demographic factors on DSM in this population (N = 396). Data were collected from a convenience sample of 104 (26.3%) males and 292 (73.7%) females with a median age 53 years. The final model provided a good fit to the data explaining 25% of the variance in DSM. Illness perception and provider–patient communication were the most effective factors in DSM. Knowledge and self-efficacy affected DSM indirectly via illness perception. The results of this study showed that effective DSM interventions should be designed to change illness perception and patient–provider communication, especially in patients with low duration of diabetes and low level of education

Effective Factors on Health-Promoting Lifestyle Among Iranian Chemical Veterans in 2014 Based on Health Promotion Model: A Path Analysis

Background: Health-promoting behaviors can enhance physical and mental health among individuals with disability, particularly veterans. Objectives: The current study aimed to examine both one-way direct and indirect effects of the factors of the Health Promotion Model (HPM) on health-promoting behaviors in chemical veterans from Ilam province in Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014. In this study, 239 moderate-to-severe chemical veterans from Illam province supported by the veterans’ affairs department of Ilam were evaluated via census sampling. Data including health-promoting behaviors, perceived self-efficacy, perceived barriers and benefits, perceived social support, and perceived health status were collected using standard questionnaires. Results: The results show that the HPM is a poor predictor of the health-promoting lifestyles of chemical veterans (R2 = 15%). Social support (factor loading = 0.38) is the strongest predictor of health-promoting behaviors and it influences such behaviors directly, while perceived barriers (factor loading = -0.11) and perceived self-efficacy (factor loading = 0.02) indirectly predict behavior through social support. Conclusions: Perceived social support is the most important factor that influences health-promoting behaviors. Increasing social support by enhancing self-efficacy and decreasing perceived barriers can improve health-promoting behaviors among veterans