DefinePK

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition with profound physiological and psychosocial consequences, where illness perceptions and self-efficacy play crucial roles in disease management and quality of life. Understanding the interplay between these psychological constructs can inform more effective, patient-centred interventions. Limited research in Pakistan has explored these relationships in diverse patient populations, particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, highlighting a gap in the literature.
Objective: To investigate the relationship between illness perceptions, diabetes management self-efficacy, and diabetes-specific quality of life, and to examine their association with demographic variables including gender, age, and education.
Methods: A quantitative correlational design was used. A sample of 150 patients with diagnosed diabetes was recruited from Mardan Medical Complex and DHQ Hospital, using purposive, convenience, and snowball sampling techniques. Participants ranged from 28 to 74 years, with 40% in middle adulthood and 60% in older adulthood. Data were collected using the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R), Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale (DMSES), and Diabetes Quality of Life Scale (DQoL). Analyses were conducted using Pearson product-moment correlation and independent samples t-tests.
Results: Significant negative correlations were observed between DMSES scores and the IPQ-R subscales timeline (r = –0.21, p < 0.01), consequences (r = –0.35, p < 0.01), cyclic dimension (r = –0.31, p < 0.01), and emotional representation (r = –0.69, p < 0.01). DMSES correlated positively with personal control (r = 0.32, p < 0.01), treatment control (r = 0.50, p < 0.01), and illness coherence (r = 0.77, p < 0.01). Male participants reported higher self-efficacy (M = 103.57 vs. 86.40, p < 0.01), better illness coherence, personal control, and treatment control, and lower DQoL scores, indicating better quality of life, compared to females.
Conclusion: Findings underscore the importance of enhancing self-efficacy and fostering positive illness perceptions to improve diabetes-related quality of life. Gender-specific and age-sensitive interventions may be particularly beneficial in this population.