Determinants of Health-Promoting Behaviors among Type 2 Diabetic Patients: Voice of Iran

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine Health-Promoting Behaviors among type 2 diabetic mellitus patients. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 440 diabetic patients referred to selected teaching hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) during six months in 2013. A two section 40-items self-report Questionnaire with demographic variables (12 items) and Health-Promoting Behaviors scale (28 items) included exercise (7 items), risk reducing (7 items), life enjoyment (3 items), stress management (5 items), responsibility (3 items) and healthy eating (3 items) domains. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 11.5. Level of significance was set at p 0.05 level. Results: Mean scores of total health promoting behaviors in participants were (55.88 ± 18.09) and in domains of exercise, risk reducing, life enjoyment, stress management, responsibility and healthy eating were (8.2 ± 6.5), (12.2 ± 6.1), (7.8 ± 2.6), (12.3 ± 3.8), (3.3 ± 3.1) and (6.9 ± 2.8) respectively. Life enjoyment was emphasized as the most significant domain in health promoting behaviors scale (65 percent). Study results revealed that there was a significant association among total health promoting behavior and age (p = 0.01), occupation (p = 0.01), family income (p p = 0.01) and HbA1C(p < 0.001). Conclusion: Study findings revealed the necessity of tailoring specific intervention programs to promote exercise and responsibility domains posit.