Impact of Skip Generation Family Structure on Diabetes Mellitus Treatment Outcomes at a Primary Care Unit in Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

Background: Self‑care is an essential component of diabetes mellitus (DM) treatment and often depends heavily on family support. In skip generation families, children’s grandparents are their primary caretakers, many of whom have chronic diseases such as DM. The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of DM patients receiving treatment at a primary care unit in Khon Kaen Province in the skip generation families and the effects of this family structure on clinical indicators of treatment outcomes. Methods: This was a prospective descriptive study in DM patients who visited a primary care unit in Khon Kaen Province from July to October 2019. Patients were asked to fill out a questionnaire interviewed, and demographic and clinical data were analyzed. Results: This study included 202 participants. We found that 11.4% of patients were in skip generation families, 91.3% of whom were elderly. We found no statistically significant association between family structure and either self‑care practices or clinical indicators of treatment outcomes. Conclusions: Neither clinical indicators of treatment outcomes nor self‑care practices differed between DM patients in skip generation families and those with other family structures. However, additional studies should be conducted to examine other possible factors, such as the age of the grandchildren of whom patients are the primary caretakers.