The Effects of Self-Efficacy and Physical Activity Improving Methods on the Quality of Life in Patients with Diabetes: A Systematic Review

Delay Discounting and BMI in Hypertensives: Serial Mediations of Self-Efficacy, Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior

Objective

Our study aimed to examine the association between delay discounting (DD) and body mass index (BMI) in individuals with hypertension. Additionally, we sought to explore and compare the potential mediating effects of self-efficacy, physical activity and sedentary behavior in this association.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in two cities in the Jiangsu province of China, specifically Nanjing and Yangzhou, from March to June 2023. A total of 972 hypertensive patients completed the questionnaire (M age = 64.7 years, SD age = 8.2 years, 54.2% female). Participants engaged in a money choice experiment on computers, provided their height and weight, and completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). The experimental program was generated using the programming software E-Prime version 2.0. Multiple hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to identify potential covariates. Two serial mediation models were conducted using PROCESS macro 4.1 in SPSS 27.0. Physical activity and sedentary behavior were designated as M2 to investigate and contrast their respective mediating effects in the association between delay discounting and body mass index.

Results

Self-efficacy, physical activity, and sedentary behavior served as mediators in the relationship between delay discounting and BMI. Self-efficacy accounted for 14.9% and 14.3% of the total effect in Models 1 and 2, respectively, while physical activity and sedentary behavior each accounted for 14.9% and 9.5% of the total effect, respectively. The serial mediation effects of self-efficacy and physical activity, as well as self-efficacy and sedentary behavior, were significant (B = 0.01, 95% CI [0.01, 0.02]; B = 0.01, 95% CI [0.002, 0.01]), collectively contributing 2.1% and 2.4% of the total effect. Sedentary behavior played a smaller mediating role compared to physical activity in this association.

Conclusion

The results indicated that self-efficacy, physical activity and sedentary behavior could act as mediators in the association between delay discounting and BMI, thus potentially mitigating the risk of obesity in hypertensive individuals.

Medicinal plants and foods with metaphorical concepts in Rumi's "Masnavi Manavi": The psychosomatic approach to human health

Objective

"Masnavi Manavi" is one of the most valuable texts of Persian literature. In this book, Rumi (Mevlana) with a unique method and in the form of moral stories teaches life lessons, mystical truths and even therapeutic advices to people. The aim of this study is to highlight the medicinal plants and foods that had been applied both in somatic and spiritual concept in "Masnavi Manavi' poems.

Materials and Methods

For this purpose, a library-based, descriptive and analytical method was used.

Results

Some medicinal plants and food terms such as rose-water, vinegar, honey, oxymel, common reed, grape, onion, garlic and wheat are mentioned in this study to show Rumi's metaphorical and therapeutic approach as a doctor who treats both soul and body. In fact, Rumi's intention to apply these terms was to express his ideas and views about the inseparability of physical and spiritual aspects in human health and well-being.

Conclusion

Rumi focus in "Masnavi Manavi" moral stories is the soul health and consider body as carrier of the soul. Therefore, because of this psychosomatic approach to human disease, he selects the most suitable herbs and foods for explaining spiritual and somatic medicine.

Diabetes knowledge predicts HbA1c levels of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in rural China: a ten-month follow-up study

Improving diabetes self-management (DSM) is facing real-world challenges among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who have a low education level in resource-limited areas. This study aimed to investigate whether diabetes knowledge could predict glycemic levels in people with T2DM in rural China. This analytical cross-sectional study recruited 321 people with T2DM from eight villages by purposive sampling at baseline. After 10 months, 206 patients completed the follow-up survey and HbA1c tests, with a response rate of 64.17% (206/321). Multiple regression analysis was employed to explore the correlation between diabetes knowledge and HbA1c levels. The patient's diabetes knowledge was significantly negatively correlated with HbA1c levels before and after controlling for covariates in both hierarchical multiple regression and multiple logistic regression (p < 0.01). In addition, other influencing factors, including sex, age, marital status, employment status, income, and HbA1c levels at baseline, were also identified. Diabetes knowledge could predict HbA1c levels significantly among patients with low education levels in rural China. Therefore, interventions on improving diabetes knowledge need to be strengthened for patients in rural China so that they can improve their health outcomes and reduce the disease burden.

The mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between diabetes self-management ability and patient activation in older adults with type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of diabetes self-management ability in older patients with type 2 diabetes and analyse its relationship with patient activation. Besides, the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between the two was assessed in the study.

METHODS

Using a cross-sectional design, 200 elderly patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited from the community of Yangzhou, China. The Patient Activation Measure (PAM), The Self-efficacy for Diabetes (SED), and The Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities Measure (SDSCA) were used in the questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 27.0 and PROCESS macro.

RESULTS

Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation (p< 0.01) between diabetes self-management ability and patient activation (r=0.312) and self-efficacy (r=0.367). Self-efficacy partially mediated the effect between patient activation and self-management ability in older patients with type 2 diabetes, and the mediating effect accounted for 49.33% of the total effect (p< 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Older patients with type 2 diabetes in the community have a moderate level of self-management ability. Patient activation can improve patients' self-management ability through self-efficacy.

A better self-efficacy is predictive of better health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: data from the Almenara Lupus Cohort

OBJECTIVE

To determine the possible predictive value of self-efficacy on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with SLE.

METHODS

Patients with SLE from the Almenara Lupus Cohort were included. Self-efficacy was ascertained with the six domains from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) self-efficacy for managing chronic conditions. For PROMIS domains, a score of 50 is the average for a clinical population (people with a chronic condition), a higher score indicates that the respondent has greater self-efficacy. HRQoL was ascertained with the physical and mental component summary (PCS and MCS) measures of the Short-Form 36 (SF-36). Generalised estimating equations were performed, using as outcome the PCS or MCS in the subsequent visit, and the self-efficacy domain in the previous visit; multivariable models were adjusted for possible confounders. The confounders were measured in the same visit as the self-efficacy domain.

RESULTS

Two-hundred and nine patients for a total of 564 visits were included; 194 (92.8%) patients were women and mean age at diagnosis was 36.4 (14.0) years. In the multivariable models, a better PCS was predicted by a better self-efficacy for managing symptoms, managing medications and treatments and managing social interactions and general self-efficacy; a better MCS was predicted by a better self-efficacy for managing daily activities, managing symptoms, managing medications and treatments and managing social interactions.

CONCLUSION

A better self-efficacy is predictive of subsequent better HRQoL, even after adjustment for possible confounders. These results should encourage clinicians to develop strategies to improve self-efficacy in patients with SLE.