Health promoting behaviors and quality of life of diabetic patents seeking care at diabetic clinic of klonghad hospital,Sakeaw Province.

Abstract

Background : Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease. It has physical, psychosocial and emotional effects on the patients. Appropriate health promoting behaviors can enhance quality of life and reduce complications of the patients. The purpose of this study was to examine health promoting behaviors and quality of life of diabetic patients.

Method : This research design was descriptive study. The participants were 167 non-insulin dependent diabetic patients who were attending the Diabetic Clinic of Klonghad Hospital, Sakeaw Province during August 2007 to October 2007. The instrument was an interview questionnaires assessing personal data, health promoting behaviors and quality of life. Data were analyzed by using frequency, percentage,arithmetic mean, standard deviation and Pearsonûs product moment correlation

Results : The results of this study revealed that the overall health promoting behaviors,responsibility for health, nutritional behavior, interpersonal relationship, stress management and spiritual development of the patients were at high levels,whereas physical activities were at a low level. The mean total score of quality of life 25.14. The highest mean subtotal score of quality of life was family domain.The lowest mean subtotal score of quality of life was health and functional domain.The results also showed that there was significantly positive correlation (r =.439,p<0.001) in moderate level between health promoting behaviors and quality of life

Conclusion : Based on these findings, it is recommended that health care team should understand the behavior of the diabetic patients in order to promote their health that it can improve diabetic patientsûs quality of life.