Relationship between glycemic control and perceived family support among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus seen in a rich kinship network in Southwest Nigeria

Objective:The practice of diabetes self-care behaviors has been cited as a foundation for achieving optimal glycemic control.Proper motivation of people with diabetes mellitus is,howev-er,needed for the performance of these behaviors.It is therefore pertinent to know if motivation by the family will improve glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.This study aimed to investigate the relationship between glycemic control and perceived family support among Ni-gerians with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conduced on 316 adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus who attended a medical outpatient clinic.Data were collected through a pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire and a standardized tool(Perceived Social Support-Family scale).Hemoglobin A1c level was used as an indicator of glycemic control.Results:The proportion of participants with good glycemic control was 40.6%.Most of the participants(137,43.8%)had strong perceived family support.Strong perceived family support(P=0.00001,odds ratio 112.51)was an independent predictor of good glycemic control.Conclusion:This study shows that strong perception of family support is a predictor of gly-cemic control among the adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus studied.Physicians working in sub-Saharan African countries with rich kinship networks should harness the available family support of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in their management.