Barriers and facilitators of self-care in adults with pre-diabetes: a directed qualitative content analysis

Abstract Background Adults with prediabetes are at 5 to 15 times higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with others. Without self-care behaviors to promote health and prevention, more than 70% of them will ultimately develop type 2 diabetes during their lives. Method This was a qualitati...

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Main Authors: Mozhgan Jokar, Mitra Zandi, Abbas Ebadi, Amir Abbas Momenan, Mohammad Rostamkhani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-03-01
Series:BMC Health Services Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12407-3
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author Mozhgan Jokar
Mitra Zandi
Abbas Ebadi
Amir Abbas Momenan
Mohammad Rostamkhani
author_facet Mozhgan Jokar
Mitra Zandi
Abbas Ebadi
Amir Abbas Momenan
Mohammad Rostamkhani
author_sort Mozhgan Jokar
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Adults with prediabetes are at 5 to 15 times higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with others. Without self-care behaviors to promote health and prevention, more than 70% of them will ultimately develop type 2 diabetes during their lives. Method This was a qualitative study guided by the directed content analysis method. Purposive sampling was done with maximum demographic diversity. The experiences of adults with prediabetes (39 people) and healthcare workers (6 people) were assessed through individual, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews lasting between 30 and 45 min for four months, from June to November 2023. Results Five main themes were found to be influential on the self-care behaviors of adults with prediabetes after analyzing the data: intrapersonal factors, interpersonal level factors, organizational factors, community-level factors, and public policy factors. The important barriers were a lack of screening programs, lack of knowledge about prediabetes and how to modify and change lifestyles, cultural practices, insufficient counseling, lack of prediabetic peers and groups, inflexible work environment, lack of native digital applications, lack of self-care behavior assessment tools for counseling, and financial problems. The major facilitators were motivation, support from family and friends, and the availability of resources in the community. Conclusion Our findings suggest that a multilevel approach is needed to address these barriers and facilitators. These findings will help guide strategies to develop programs that impart knowledge and skills to improve the self-care behaviors of prediabetics.
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spelling doaj-art-1ed6db0b3bff43ebb64eddb4629caef52025-08-20T01:57:25ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632025-03-0125111510.1186/s12913-025-12407-3Barriers and facilitators of self-care in adults with pre-diabetes: a directed qualitative content analysisMozhgan Jokar0Mitra Zandi1Abbas Ebadi2Amir Abbas Momenan3Mohammad Rostamkhani4Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Niyayesh ComplexNursing Care Research Center, Clinical Sciences Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical SciencesPrevention of Metabolic Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Nursing, Khomein University Of Medical SciencesAbstract Background Adults with prediabetes are at 5 to 15 times higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with others. Without self-care behaviors to promote health and prevention, more than 70% of them will ultimately develop type 2 diabetes during their lives. Method This was a qualitative study guided by the directed content analysis method. Purposive sampling was done with maximum demographic diversity. The experiences of adults with prediabetes (39 people) and healthcare workers (6 people) were assessed through individual, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews lasting between 30 and 45 min for four months, from June to November 2023. Results Five main themes were found to be influential on the self-care behaviors of adults with prediabetes after analyzing the data: intrapersonal factors, interpersonal level factors, organizational factors, community-level factors, and public policy factors. The important barriers were a lack of screening programs, lack of knowledge about prediabetes and how to modify and change lifestyles, cultural practices, insufficient counseling, lack of prediabetic peers and groups, inflexible work environment, lack of native digital applications, lack of self-care behavior assessment tools for counseling, and financial problems. The major facilitators were motivation, support from family and friends, and the availability of resources in the community. Conclusion Our findings suggest that a multilevel approach is needed to address these barriers and facilitators. These findings will help guide strategies to develop programs that impart knowledge and skills to improve the self-care behaviors of prediabetics.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12407-3PrediabetesSelf careThe socio-ecological modelIran
spellingShingle Mozhgan Jokar
Mitra Zandi
Abbas Ebadi
Amir Abbas Momenan
Mohammad Rostamkhani
Barriers and facilitators of self-care in adults with pre-diabetes: a directed qualitative content analysis
BMC Health Services Research
Prediabetes
Self care
The socio-ecological model
Iran
title Barriers and facilitators of self-care in adults with pre-diabetes: a directed qualitative content analysis
title_full Barriers and facilitators of self-care in adults with pre-diabetes: a directed qualitative content analysis
title_fullStr Barriers and facilitators of self-care in adults with pre-diabetes: a directed qualitative content analysis
title_full_unstemmed Barriers and facilitators of self-care in adults with pre-diabetes: a directed qualitative content analysis
title_short Barriers and facilitators of self-care in adults with pre-diabetes: a directed qualitative content analysis
title_sort barriers and facilitators of self care in adults with pre diabetes a directed qualitative content analysis
topic Prediabetes
Self care
The socio-ecological model
Iran
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12407-3
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AT abbasebadi barriersandfacilitatorsofselfcareinadultswithprediabetesadirectedqualitativecontentanalysis
AT amirabbasmomenan barriersandfacilitatorsofselfcareinadultswithprediabetesadirectedqualitativecontentanalysis
AT mohammadrostamkhani barriersandfacilitatorsofselfcareinadultswithprediabetesadirectedqualitativecontentanalysis