Abstract

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that impairs the body’s ability to use carbohydrates in foods for energy. Selfcare is an effective strategy to improve the status and control of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes. The present study aimed to systematically review the current self-care behaviors in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: We carried out a systematic review in February 2021 using the PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases. We evaluated the records in two phases of title/abstract and full-text screenings against the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Non-English studies, reviews, case reports, studies lacking full-text, and studies on non-human subjects were excluded. We then extracted the data into word tables and the extracted data was used to draft the study. Results: We identified 43 eligible records. In this study, a set of self-care behaviors was identified for individuals with type 2 diabetes in five main groups: diet, exercise, blood sugar monitoring, medication adherence, and other self-care behaviors. Based on the study’s findings, the majority of reviewed studies (n=37, 86.0) referred to diet and exercise as an effective self-care behavior for type 2 diabetes. Blood glucose monitoring, medication adherence, and foot care were reported in 74.4, 58.1, and 37.2 of other studies, respectively. Conclusion: Given the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes worldwide, lifestyle amendments such as diet modification and daily exercise can be effective in managing this disease. Therefore, it is recommended to focus on self-care, especially behavior change and lifestyle modification of people with type 2 diabetes, rather than investing only in the clinical treatment of this disease. © 2022 The Authors.