Systematic Review of Diabetes Self-Management: Focusing on the Middle-Aged Population of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia

The aim is to synthesize the most contemporary qualitative research on the self-management of type 2 diabetes with specific interest in the population of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The electronic databases searched include the Cochrane library, MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO, between the year 1993 and 2013. The inclusion criteria was the middle-aged population aged 40 - 60 years. Studies must report qualitative research on diabetes self-management, diabetic complications, quality of life, and patient-doctor relationship or interaction. Out of the 36 identified studies, 30 studies from the literature search representing self-management in context suggest that the multiple contextual factors identified are the fertile ground for further research, and the context which is useful for health care professionals suggests that coping with diagnosis and living with diabetes are affected by a complex constellation of factors, including life circumstances, social support, gender roles and economy. Three conceptual themes were identified from the analysis. The review has revealed that there is a lack of studies in literature on self-management of type 2 diabetes in both the countries.