Which Dimensions of Family Support Matter for Diabetes Self-Care? Evidence from Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care
Abstract
Family support is an important social resource for diabetes self-management, yet different forms of support may not contribute equally to specific self-care behaviors. This study examined the associations between emotional, instrumental, informational, and appraisal support and diabetes self-care among adults with type 2 diabetes receiving primary care. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 99 adults with type 2 diabetes recruited using consecutive sampling. Family support was assessed using the Family Support Questionnaire, while diabetes self-care behaviors were measured using the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities. Associations were examined using correlation analyses and multivariable linear regression adjusted for age, sex, educational attainment, duration of diabetes, and frequency of healthcare follow-up. Perceived family support was generally high across all dimensions. Medication adherence was the most frequently performed self-care behavior (5.24 ± 2.08 days/week), whereas blood glucose monitoring was the least frequent (2.40 ± 1.93 days/week). Although several family-support dimensions were positively correlated with physical activity, medication adherence, and foot care in bivariate analyses, most associations were attenuated after multivariable adjustment. Informational support showed the clearest independent associations, with higher informational support associated with more frequent blood glucose monitoring (β = 0.31, 95% CI [0.02, 0.60], p = .036) and foot care (β = 0.42, 95% CI [0.07, 0.76], p = .018). No consistent independent associations were observed for emotional, instrumental, or appraisal support across the self-care domains. These findings suggest that the contribution of family support to diabetes self-management may depend on the type of support provided. Family-oriented diabetes care in primary care may benefit from emphasizing specific informational support that helps patients perform practical and preventive self-care behaviors.