Factors Predicting Self-Management Behavior among Thai Older Monks with Type-2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study

Self-management is important for people with diabetes, including older monks whose lifestyles must conform to religious practice. This cross-sectional study aimed to describe self-management and its predictive factors among older Thai monks with type-2 diabetes. The sample consisted of 196 older monks who received services at two monastic hospitals from September to December 2023. Data were collected using questionnaires regarding General Information and Illness Information, Self-Management Behavior, Health Literacy, Perceived Self-Efficacy, and Social Support. Stepwise multiple regression analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The findings indicated that the older monks exhibited moderate self-management and health literacy levels, with high perceived self-efficacy and social support. Collectively, these factors significantly predicted self-management by 35.4%. Health literacy emerged as the most influential predictive factor for self-management, followed by self-efficacy and social support. Nurses can use this finding to develop and test the effectiveness of an intervention program that emphasizes increasing health literacy, self-efficacy, and social support to enhance self-management behaviors integrated with new technology.