Evaluation of factors related to glycaemic control among South Korean patients with type 2 diabetes

Aims To examine specific self‐care behaviours, depression, and diabetes‐related stress among South Korean patients with type 2 diabetes and to evaluate whether these factors are related to glycaemic control. Methods This cross‐sectional study included 171 patients with type 2 diabetes who visited an endocrinology clinic. A structured questionnaire and electronic medical records were used to collect data regarding self‐care behaviours, depression, diabetes‐related distress, and glycaemic control between May 2015 and July 2015. Results Compared with the group with good glycaemic control, the group with poor glycaemic control had significantly lower values for medication adherence and significantly greater values for regimen‐related distress. Depression was not significantly associated with glycaemic control. In logistic regression analysis, only medication adherence was independently associated with glycaemic control. Conclusions Medication adherence should be continuously emphasized and monitored in clinical practice to effectively manage glycaemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, consideration of diabetes‐related distress may help improve glycaemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes. SUMMARY STATEMENT What is already known about this topic? To control glycaemic levels, patients with type 2 diabetes should practice self‐care (medication, diet, exercise, and blood glucose monitoring). However, patients with type 2 diabetes complain that self‐care is complicated and difficult to follow in daily life. Many people with type 2 diabetes experience high levels of depression and distress stemming from concerns associated with diabetes and its management. Diabetes‐related distress, depression, and self‐care behaviours have been thought to be related to glycaemic levels. However, data from cross‐sectional studies on this relationship are not consistent. There are few studies on these variables in patients with type 2 diabetes in South Korea. What this paper adds? Diabetes‐related distress was only associated with glycaemic control, whereas depression and self‐care behaviours were not significantly associated with glycaemic control among South Korean patients with type 2 diabetes. We subcategorized diabetes‐related distress into emotional burden, physician‐related distress, regimen‐related distress, and diabetes‐related interpersonal distress, but only regimen‐related distress was significantly associated with glycaemic control. We su