Aims: The purpose of this study was to identify the role of psychological insulin resistance in the relationship between diabetes self-efficacy and diabetes self-care management in people with diabetes over 65 years of age.
Design: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used.
Methods: Participants included 326 patients with type 2 diabetes who were over 65 years of age. Structural equation modelling was performed to estimate the direct and indirect effects of diabetes self-efficacy on diabetes self-care management when psychological insulin resistance was entered as a mediator. Data were collected from May 2015 to January 2017.
Results: Diabetes self-efficacy (r = .53, p < .001) and psychological insulin resistance (r = .33, p < .001) were significantly associated with diabetes self-care management, whereas a negative association was found between diabetes self-efficacy and psychological insulin resistance (r = -.16, p < .001). When psychological insulin resistance was entered as a mediator, the association between diabetes self-efficacy and diabetes self-care management was attenuated. Therefore, psychological insulin resistance served as a mediator of diabetes self-care management.
Keywords: insulin therapy; older adults; self‐efficacy; self‐management; type 2 diabetes mellitus.
© 2020 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.