Mediating Effects of Perceived Barriers on the Relationship between Depression and Diabetes Management Self-efficacy in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Abstract

Background Diabetes mellitus is a life threatening disease that one out of ten Korean adults aged over 30 has it. Depression of diabetes patients affects the perception on their health negatively and self-management inefficiently, and then leads to a failure in blood sugar control. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the relationships among depression, perceived barriers and self-efficacy on diabetes management in depth. Methods This descriptive study was undertaken to identify the mediating effects of perceived barriers on the relationship between depression and self-efficacy on diabetes management among type 2 diabetes patients. 173 patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited from an out-patient clinic of Y university hospital. Data were collected from June 26 to July 18, 2014 using a structured self-report questionnaire, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, multiple regressions, and Sobel test. Results Among173 participants, 12.1% were classified as depressed group. Self-efficacy on diabetes management was found to be significantly associated with education level and the presence of complications. Depression and perceived barriers were positively related to each other, but both were negatively related to self-efficacy on diabetes management. In addition, perceived barriers were found to mediate the relationship between depression and diabetes management self-efficacy. Conclusions Strategic nursing interventions based on considerations of the relationship between perceived barriers and self-efficacy on diabetes management need to be provided for type 2 diabetes patients with depression.