Illness Perceptions and Depression in Relation to Self-care Behaviour among Type 2 diabetes Patients in a Referral Hospital in Kigali-Rwanda

Background: This paper describes illness perceptions, communication and depression in relation to self-care behaviour among Type 2 diabetes patients, collected from a referral hospital in Kigali, Rwanda between 14 December 2010 and 28 February 2011. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study explored the relationships between interpersonal communications assessed using the Interpersonal Processes of Communication of Care in Diverse Population questionnaire; depression assessed using the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; illness beliefs assessed using the Revised Illness Perceptions Questionnaire; and self-care behaviour assessed using the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities questionnaire. Self-regulatory model of illness perceptions, with a focus on cognitive representation, was the conceptual framework used to guide this study. We recruited 86 participants. Results: Participants perceived type 2 diabetes as a cyclical and chronic condition associated with serious but controllable consequences. Time cyclical, personal control and depression were independently associated with self-care behaviour. Conclusion: The findings confirm that depression and illness beliefs influence self-care behaviour.