Factors Affecting Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in Kalasin Province, Thailand: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Optimal glycemic management is critical since it can predict all associated essential causes of death, even after accounting for other risk factors. Objectives: This study investigated the factors associated with glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), particularly self-care behaviors. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study examined 385 patients with T2DM in 1 general and 17 community hospitals in Kalasin Province. The samples were collected using mixed-method sampling. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire with six parts and laboratory examination records between September 2021 and December 2022. Descriptive statistics (e.g., percentages and means +/- SD) were used to analyze the data. The relationship between relevant factors and lack of glycemic control was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression using SPSS version 25. Results: Results showed that most patients were female (78.18%), and the mean age was 59.84 +/- 9.05 years. Additionally, a significant proportion of the patients (79.74%) had poor glycemic control. Several factors are significantly associated with poor glycemic control in patients with T2DM. These factors included subjects under the age of 60 years (OR = 2.95, 95% CI: 1.57 to 5.54; p-value < 0.001), a diabetes duration of over 10 years (OR = 3.95, 95% CI: 1.90 to 8.22; p-value < 0.001), poor knowledge about diabetes (OR = 3.92, 95% CI: 1.59 to 9.67; p-value < 0.003), and inadequate self-care behaviors (OR = 6.12, 95% CI: 3.20 to 11.68; p-value < 0.001). Conclusions: In conclusion, proper interventions for controlling glycemic level behaviors are necessary to improve proper self-care behaviors in patients who have a low knowledge level of T2DM, have had diabetes for over ten years, and are aged < 60 years. This approach can reduce the likelihood of experiencing disabilities and economic hardship.