Facilitators and Barriers of Health Behaviors in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Qualitative Study

Purpose The purpose of the study was to explore the facilitators and barriers of health behaviors in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), providing a reference for the development of health behavior interventions programs. Methods A qualitative descriptive research design was adopted, and interviews were conducted with 25 patients with T2D. The interview guide was developed based on the health action process approach theory. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis. Results Through the analysis of interview data, 2 main themes were identified: facilitators and barriers of health behaviors, comprising 18 subthemes. The facilitators included self-efficacy, outcome expectations, risk perception, intention, action planning, coping planning, emotional regulation, proactive and sustained sense of responsibility, and multidimensional social support. The barriers included insufficient disease awareness, insufficient self-control, impact of social activities, low self-efficacy, accessibility of personal conditions, lack of problem-solving skills, lack of disease management knowledge, lack of social support, and cognitive decline. Conclusions When designing health behavior intervention programs for patients with T2D, it is crucial to consider both facilitators and barriers to enhance the effectiveness of the interventions to encourage patients to adopt healthy lifestyles, improve their quality of life, and reduce the occurrence of complications.