Association between self-care practices and glycemic control among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Douala, Cameroon: A mixed-methods study

This mixed‑methods cross-sectional study assessed how self‑care practices relate to glycemic control among 230 adults with type 2 diabetes attending two hospitals in Douala, Cameroon. Only 21.3% achieved good glycemic control, while most had poor control. Logistic regression showed that better dietary practices and adequate foot care were significantly associated with improved glycemic outcomes, findings that were supported by qualitative data highlighting barriers such as high food costs, limited healthy food availability, and expensive monitoring supplies. Overall, the study underscores that inadequate self‑care—especially poor diet and foot care—negatively affects glycemic control, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to strengthen self‑care behaviors in this setting.

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