Relationship of Complementary Modes of Agency in the Self-Management of Diabetes

Effective control of type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is essential for minimizing the likelihood of developing comorbidities that result from poor glycemic control. Extensive self-management considerations are required of people with DM because they must actively participate in their own care and engage with other socially-based sources of self-management support. The purposes of this quantitative study were to determine if there is an association between (a) the extent that the individual mode of human agency is employed and quality of diabetes control among adults who have been diagnosed with DM2 for at least one year and (b) the extent that the proxy mode of human agency is employed and quality of diabetes control among adults who have been diagnosed with DM2 for at least one year and (c) the extent that the individual mode and proxy mode of agency are employed in diabetes self-management, among adults diagnosed with DM2 for at least one year, and the quality of diabetes control, as measured by individualsâ HbA1c. The study sample consisted of 41 non-newly diagnosed adults with DM2 and was drawn from a large tertiary medical center. Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses showed no statistically significant associations between individual and proxy agency, and the quality of DM2 self-management. Findings from this study could provide nurses and other healthcare professionals with information to effectively focus their efforts in terms of supporting patientsâ diabetes self-management and, in turn, promote higher quality DM2 self-management which will effect positive social change. Future research should explore the complementary nature of individual and proxy agency in terms of self-management of DM2