Self-care Practices of Type 2 Diabetes Patients by Socio-demographic and Clinical Factors: An Ordered Probit Model

Abstract

Background: Diabetes prevalence has risen more rapidly in middle- and low-income countries and has emerged as the seventh highest cause of death in such countries. Socio-demographics, patient knowledge and clinical factors, such as family history of diabetes, have a vital effect on the disease outcomes. This study assessed self-care practices among patients with type 2 diabetes to determine the probability of self-care by predictor variables, including socio-economic and clinical factors, and quantify the marginal effects of these independent variables on different self-care practices among diabetic patients.

Methods: This exploratory study collected data from 200 type 2 diabetes patients at a branch of private pharmacy in Pakistan using a convenient sampling technique and a semi-structured questionnaire. An ordered probit regression model was used to analyze the different self-care practices among diabetic patients. With self-practices ordered in four classes from poor to good, the marginal effects of each socio-economic and clinical factors were also calculated on the likelihood of aforesaid self-care practices among diabetic patients.

Results: Results showed that the relationships of household income, patient’s choice of private or public hospital for treatment, and patient’s weight with selfcare probability were statistically significant. These socio-demographics and clinical indicators significantly influenced each category of self-care practices.

Conclusion: Socio-demographic and clinical factors played a decisive role in the healthcare practices among type-2 diabetes patients. Monthly household income, patient’s choice of private or public hospital for treatment, and patient’s weight influenced different levels of self-care practices. Income had a negative contribution in poor and fair self-care levels of practices, whereas it had a positive role in average and good self-care levels of practices.

Keywords: type 2 diabetes; self-care practices; socio-economic factors; developing country