[Self-control: an important educational need in diabetic patients9 mental health]

ABSTRACT

Diabetes is a kind of chronic conditions which needs a kind of adaptation during all time, thus some behavioral and psychosocial adoptive mechanism should be considered by the patient. Lack of self-control skills and information will lead to poor glysemic control among diabetics. Educational in this context has an important role in patient's well-being, the study aims to describe the concept of self-control as an important educational need in the diabetic patients' mental health. The qualitative content analysis method was employed in the study. Study population including health professionals [3 nurses and 4 physicians] and diabetic patients [n=12] were selected purposefully and were interviewed in-depth. Three main categories including three concepts were identified namely fight with self, internal versus external control, and dominance over self. The findings showed that such patients faced with various and often conflicting alternatives that resulted in experiencing internal breaking and conflict. It was founded that the patients' perception of their power span and whether they have control over disease was an underlying factor to deciding about the health related behaviors' alternatives. Such findings emphasized on importance of supporting the diabetic patients in the rout of being responsible about their physical and mental status. Preparing the patients to maintain and expand their control over self is important specifically through developing communication, decision making and self supervising skills