Validation of an information–motivation–behavioral skills model of self-care among Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND Self-care is a crucial component of diabetes management. But comprehensive behavior change frameworks are needed to provide guidance for the design, implementation, and evaluation of diabetes self-care programs in diverse populations. We tested the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model in a sample of Chinese adults with Type 2 diabetes. METHODS A cross-sectional study of 222 Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes was conducted in a primary care center. We collected information on demographics, provider-patient communication (knowledge), social support (motivation), self-efficacy (behavioral skills), and diabetes self-care (behavior). The values of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were also obtained. Measured variable path analyses were used to the IMB framework. RESULTS Provider-patient communication (β = 0.12, p = .037), and social support (β = 0.19, p = .007) and self-efficacy (β = 0.41, p < .001) were independent, direct predictors of diabetes self-care behavior. Diabetes self-care behaviors had a direct effect on TC/HDL-C (β = -0.31, p < .001) and LDL-C/HDL-C (β = -0.30, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Consistent with the IMB model, having better provider-patient communication, having social support, and having higher self-efficacy was associated with performing diabetes self-care behaviors; and these behaviors were directly linked to lipid control. The findings indicate that diabetes education programs should including strategies enhancing patients' knowledge, motivation and behavioral skills to effect behavior change.