Enablers of and Barriers to Effective Diabetes Self-Care in Iran: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Self-care behaviors are the most important factor in diabetes management, and improving such behaviors is the cornerstone in helping patients to manage their illness. The current study aimed to determine interfering factors in the self-care process in patients with diabetes. Methods: The present qualitative study with content-analysis design was performed from March 2017 to April 2019 in Mashhad, Iran. Data collection was started with sampling and continued until saturation. Data were collected through semistructured interviews. Participants comprised 21 patients with diabetes (adults with type 1 or 2 diabetes) aged 31-60 years. Data analysis was performed using the Landman method and MaxQDA 10 software. Results: Qualitative content analysis showed that patients' self-care behavior was influenced by different factors and conditions. In the current study, four key themes facilitating or preventing self-care behaviors in patients with diabetes were extracted: accessibility, environmental factors, behavioral habits, and personal factors. Conclusion: A range of personal and environmental factors may play an important role in the formation of self-care behaviors in patients with diabetes, and providing medical, welfare, and social support to such patients can facilitate self-care behavior formation in them. On the other hand, by removing perceived barriers, patients may be better able to adhere to self-care behaviors.