Predictors of Self-management Behaviour Among Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Malaysia

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Halimatus Sakdiah Minhat
Poh Ying Lim
Azima Ramle
Salmiah Md Said

Abstract

Introduction: Proper self-management is proven to be the key to successful and effective management of the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Objective: This study aimed to predict factors associated with self-management behaviour of T2DM among older adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among older adults aged 60 years and above, with a month or more history of T2DM. A stratified proportionate-to-size random sampling was conducted in seven government health clinics in the Bera district, Pahang. A pre-tested interviewer-assisted questionnaire was used during data collection, containing six sections: sociodemographic, diabetes profile, knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and diabetes self-management behaviour. Descriptive and analytical analyses were performed using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Science Version 25.0. Results: A total of 532 eligible older adults participated in this study, with a response rate of 95.2%. The self-management behaviour mean score was 3.33 (SD 1.13). Higher self-management behaviour related to T2DM was predicted by being Malay (B = -0.545, 95% CI: -0.798, -0.292, p < 0.001), higher monthly income of RM 2500 - ≥ RM5000 (B = 0.328, 95% CI: 0.134, 0.523, p = 0.001), knowledge (B = 0.055, 95% CI: 0.021, 0.089, p = 0.002), and good self-efficacy (B = 0.028, 95% CI: 0.021, 0.036, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Higher self-efficacy was a significant predictor of better self-management behaviour in T2DM. Interventions to enhance knowledge and self-efficacy should be specifically targeted among the non-Malays and those with lower household income. These at-risk group should be targeted at primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention levels.

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Minhat, H. S., Poh Ying Lim, Ramle, A., & Md Said, S. (2026). Predictors of Self-management Behaviour Among Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 22(2), 1524. Retrieved from http://mjmhsojs.upm.edu.my/index.php/mjmhs/article/view/1524
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Original Articles

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