Self-management of type 2 diabetes mellitus among older adults in an Ecuadorian community

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease affecting millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by the body's inability to effectively regulate blood glucose levels, which leads to chronic hyperglycemia. Objective: To describe the self-control of type 2 diabetes mellitus in older adults in an Ecuadorian community. Methods: Quantitative, non-experimental, field, descriptive, and transversal approach. The “Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ)” questionnaire was used and applied to 42 older adults. Results: 31% of the participants indicated that the control of blood sugar levels is applied to some extent in attending appointments with medical doctors, 52.4% said that this statement applies to a considerable degree when taking medication for diabetes, 61.9% of the participants indicated that it applies to a significant degree, in turn, in terms of the tendency to "binge eat", approximately 26.2% stated that this statement applies to some extent, the tendency to skip the planned physical activity, 54.8% said that this premise applies to a considerable degree, concerning the Perception of their diabetes self-control, approximately 35.7% indicated that it is applied to a certain extent. Conclusion: Improve self-control practices by favoring the reduction of complications related to the pathology, promoting autonomy and informed decision-making, and contributing to active aging and health in the population