Diabetes self-management: A post-intervention evaluation of challenges experienced in a low socio-economic community
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Date
2017
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AFAHPER-SD
Abstract
The global diabetes epidemic continues to grow and countries are struggling to keep pace with
the health care demands that the disease creates. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in South
Africa has increased drastically over the last two decades and ranks third in terms of mortality
and morbidity for the general population; with an estimated 2.28 million people in South Africa
living with diabetes in 2014. The effectiveness of diabetes management ultimately depends on
people’s compliance with recommendations and treatment. Clients with diabetes may experience
several challenges in their daily self-management practices. This study explored the challenges
individuals with diabetes mellitus from a low socio-economic community experienced with selfmanagement
after they participated in an intervention. Focus group discussions were conducted
with 15 individuals with diabetes mellitus from one randomly selected community health care
centre in the Cape Metropolitan Region, Western Cape. The discussions yielded six main themes:
challenges with a healthy eating plan; challenges with physical activity; financial constraints;
other people’s understanding of the disease; service received at the Community Health Centre
and lack of appropriate expertise/information. Diabetics in a low socio-economic urban
community experience several personal and health care system-related challenges that could
negatively impact on the self-management practices of the disease. Therefore, a multidisciplinary
team should provide person-centred care and implement community-based health promotion
programmes to enhance self-management skills of diabetic patients.
Description
Keywords
Diabetes mellitus, Self-management, Challenges
Citation
Steyl, T. (2017). Diabetes self-management: A post-intervention evaluation of challenges experienced in a low socio-economic community. African Journal for Physical Activity and Health Sciences, October (Supplement 1:2), 277-289.