Self-efficacy in adults with food insecurity and type 2 diabetes

This study describes the level of diabetes self-efficacy for adults living with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and food insecurity (FI), enrolled in a food prescription program at a low-income primary care clinic in Houston, Texas. A non-experimental descriptive study was conducted to examine if adults, who are enrolled in a food prescription program at a low-income primary care clinic, with food insecurity and T2DM report increased levels of self-efficacy from baseline to eight weeks. A convenience sample of 35 adults living with T2DM and FI enrolled in the primary care clinic food prescription program was obtained for this study. The diabetes self-efficacy survey (DSES) was used to assess the level of diabetes self-efficacy in patients before they enrolled into the food prescription program and re-administered eight weeks into the program. Mean diabetes self-efficacy scores (SES) were calculated at two different points in time. Descriptive statistics were calculated with the data set. Internal consistency reliability of the DSES for this sample was Cronbach’s alpha of 0.92. Of the 35 adults living with T2DM and FI, 100% completed the DSES at eight weeks. The data analysis revealed that the participants of the food prescription program expressed increased levels of diabetes self-efficacy in each domain of the DSES (p<.000).