This study aimed to identify the predictors of self-efficacy in administering insulin injection among patients with type 2 diabetes. Using a cross-sectional survey, data were collected via purposive sampling from a metabolic ward of a medical center in Southern Taiwan. Participants were 72 patients with type 2 diabetes, who had started using Lantus, Levemir, or Novomix pen injectors. Data were collected from October 2013 to August 2014, using the Diabetes and Insulin Injection Knowledge Scale, Self-Efficacy in Administering Insulin Injection Scale, and photographs illustrating insulin injection skills. The findings indicated that "knowledge of diabetes and insulin injection," "insulin injection skills," "senior high school or above education," and "diabetes duration" were predictors of self-efficacy in administering insulin injection, which explained 41% of the total variance in self-efficacy. Health care professionals can design relevant strategies for improving patient self-efficacy in administering insulin injection, thereby increasing patients' insulin self-injection abilities.
Keywords: cross-sectional studies; delivery of health care; insulin injections; self-efficacy; type 2 diabetes mellitus.