The Relationships Between Diabetes Self-Care, Diabetes Time Management, and Diabetes Distress in Women With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between and among diabetes self-care, diabetes time management, and diabetes distress in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods A descriptive correlational design with a total of 188 participants completed 3 valid and reliable instruments to measure the main study variables, the Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire, the Diabetes Time Management Questionnaire, and the Diabetes Distress Scale, in an uncontrolled, natural setting using mix-mode surveys (electronic and paper). Survey responses were analyzed using several descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses. Results Diabetes time management was the strongest, statistically significant, unique contributor to explaining self-care. The regression model showed that diabetes time management demonstrated a large effect size and that diabetes distress demonstrated a small effect size. Conclusions The 2 predictor variables among diabetes self-care in women showed diabetes time management had a stronger effect size compared to diabetes distress. This is the first known study to measure the influence of diabetes time management on diabetes self-care and to examine the relationship between and among diabetes time management and diabetes distress. Diabetes time management, an understudied variable in individuals with T2DM, has the potential to be a contributor to improve patient outcomes.