The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and the Quality of Life of Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that requires long-term management and can decrease the quality of life of those affected. One psychological factor that plays a role in the successful management of diabetes is self-efficacy, which is an individual's belief in their ability to perform self-care. Good self-efficacy can improve adherence to therapy, blood glucose control, and the quality of life of diabetes patients. Objective: This study aims to find out the relationship between self-efficacy and quality of life in patients with diabetes mellitus.. Methods: This study used a quantitative design with a correlational analytic approach and a cross-sectional design. The research was conducted on 43 patients with diabetes mellitus who were selected using purposive sampling. The instruments used were the Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale (DMSES) to measure self-efficacy and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) to measure quality of life. Data analysis included univariate analysis and bivariate analysis using the Spearman Rank correlation test with a significance level of ? = 0.05. Results: The characteristics of the respondents showed that most were aged 46–55 years (34.9%), were female (53.5%), and had been living with diabetes mellitus for 5–10 years (41.9%). Most respondents had high self-efficacy (46.5%) and good quality of life (44.2%). The Spearman Rank test results showed a positive and significant relationship between self-efficacy and the quality of life of diabetes mellitus patients (r = 0.641; p = 0.000). Conclusion: There is a positive and significant relationship between self-efficacy and the quality of life of diabetes mellitus patients. The higher the level of self-efficacy a patient has, the better their perceived quality of life. Improving self-efficacy through education, counseling, and patient empowerment should be an important part of nursing care to enhance the quality of life for diabetes mellitus patients.