Psychosocial Self-efficacy and its Association with Selected Potential Factors Among Adults with Type 1 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Divya Anna Stephen; Anna Nordin; Unn-Britt Johansson; Jan Nilsson

doi:10.1007/s13300-024-01581-y

Psychosocial Self-efficacy and its Association with Selected Potential Factors Among Adults with Type 1 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Diabetes Ther. 2024 Apr 20. doi: 10.1007/s13300-024-01581-y. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Divya Anna Stephen¹, Anna Nordin², Unn-Britt Johansson³, Jan Nilsson^{2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Science, Faculty for Health, Nature and Technology, Karlstad University, 65188, Karlstad, Sweden. DivyaAnna.Stephen@kau.se.
² Department of Health Science, Faculty for Health, Nature and Technology, Karlstad University, 65188, Karlstad, Sweden.
³ Department of Health Promoting Science, Sophiahemmet University, 11486, Stockholm, Sweden.
⁴ Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, 2418, Elverum, Norway.

PMID: 38642262
DOI: 10.1007/s13300-024-01581-y

Abstract

Introduction: The management of type 1 diabetes, a non-preventable chronic disease, leads to a high physical and psychological burden on the individual. Digital health technology can improve a person's psychosocial self-efficacy and thereby contribute to improved diabetes self-care. The aim of this study was to explore associations between psychosocial self-efficacy and demographic-, disease specific-, well-being as well as digital health technology (DHT) related factors among adults with type 1 diabetes.

Methods: A primarily web-based cross sectional survey was conducted among adults with type 1 diabetes in Sweden (n = 301). Psychosocial self-efficacy was assessed using the Swedish version of the Diabetes Empowerment Scale, Swe-DES-23. The survey also contained questions related to demographic-, disease specific-, well-being as well as digital health technology related variables.

Results: Higher well-being scores and lower HbA1c levels were associated with higher psychosocial self-efficacy in multiple linear regression analysis. In multivariate analysis, gender, body mass index, well-being scores, and HbA1c levels showed association with psychosocial self-efficacy. None of the DHT factors were found associated with psychosocial self-efficacy.

Conclusions: In this study, higher well-being score and lower self-reported HbA1c levels were associated with higher psychosocial self-efficacy in both univariate- and multivariate analysis and accounted for 30% of the variation in psychosocial self-efficacy in the regression model. Thus, measures to improve psychosocial self-efficacy in adults with type 1 diabetes may help maintain their psychological well-being and blood glucose control.

Keywords: Cross-Sectional Study; Diabetes mellitus, type 1; Digital technology; Patient reported outcome measures; Psychological well-being; Self efficacy; Surveys and questionnaires.