Self-care in Insulin Therapy among Type I Diabetics Referring to the Diabetes Research Center (Kermanshah,1999)

Background & Objective: Insulin is the best controlling drug in Type I Diabetes and the self-care related to insulin theraphy is the most important caring action in such patients. There fore this study was aimed to find out the rate of self-care in insulin theraphy among type I diabetic patients.

Materials & Methods: This descriptive study was carried out on 139 patients with type I Diabetes. Subjects were selected by the available sampling method. A questionnaire was used for collecting the data about the special features and knowledge level meanwhile an observational checklist and for was applied to record the skill and performance of patients in insulin therapy. To analyze the data descriptive statistics, X² test and Pierson’s correlation coefficient (α=5%) were employed. The patients’ knowledge and skill were graded as follows: 0-39 points as poor, 40-65 points as moderate and over 66 points as good.

Results: The knowledge of  98.6% of cases about the application of  Insulin was at moderate rate. Meanwhile 71.2% and 28.1% had moderate and poor knowledge of insulin side effects. In general 78.8% had moderate knowledge and the rest were poor in the application of insulin and its side effects. 81.3% had good skill in insulin injection,
but 18% had moderate performance in this respect. There was significant correlation between this variable and age (r=0.409 , P=0.008) as well as the period of having
diabetes(r=0.341 , P=0.032).

Discussion: The findings showed that the knowledge of using insulin and its side effects are in moderate rate, but the skill in insulin injection is good. Young patients with shorter period of having diabetes were more skilled. Insulin therapy is a key to basic  treating of type I Diabetes in which self-care can play a major role. It is recommended that researchers put the training of patients as their top priority and promote the patients’ skill and knowledge about the correct use of insulin and prevention of its
side effects.